VYVl  . 


c - 


THE  SOCIETY 


fli 


FOR  THE 


PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 


THE  CATHOLIC  MISSIONS 


AN  HISTORICAL  SKETCH 
of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 

A COMPLETE  DESCRIPTION 
of  its  organization  and  administration,  and 

AN  OFFICIAL  REPORT 
of  what  it  has  done  for  the  Missions  since  its 
foundation  in  1822  to  1912 


RIGHT  REV.  JOSEPH  FRERI,  D.CL. 


PRESS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 


AND 


BY  THE 


Missionary  Apostolic  and  National  Director 


NEW  YORK  CITY 


CONTENTS 

I 

/ FACS 

To  the  Reader  3 

Origin  of  the  Society 5 

Its  Progress  from  1822 9 

Aim,  Organization  and  Administration 11 

Spiritual  Favors  Granted  to  Members 17 

Spiritual  Privileges  Granted  to  Ecclesiastical  Benefactors,  18 

Conditional  Gifts  left  in  Trust  to  the  Society 19 

Approval  of  Popes,  Councils  and  Bishops 20 

n 

What  the  Catholic  World  has  given  to  the  Society  and  the 

Missionary  World  received,  1822-1912 24 

What  the  Church  in  the  United  States  has  received  from 
the  Society  and  what  it  has  contributed,  1822-1912. . . 25 

Missions  Assisted  by  the  Society  in  1912 29 

Personnel  of  the  Missions 36 

Conclusion  40 


THE  SOCIETY 


FOR  THE 

PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 

AND 

THE  CATHOLIC  MISSIONS 


AN  HISTORICAL  SKETCH 
of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 

A COMPLETE  DESCRIPTION 

of  its  organization  and  administration,  and 

AN  OFFICIAL  REPORT 
of  what  it  has  done  for  the  Missions  since  its 
foundation  in  1822  to  1912 


BY  THE 

RIGHT  REV.  JOSEPH  FRERI,  D.C.L. 

Missionary  Apostolic  and  National  Director 


PRESS  OF  THE  SOCIETY 
FOR  THE  PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH 
627  Lexington  Avenue 
NEW  YORK  CITY 


NIHIL  OBSTAT 


Keb.  Kemp  Eafort,  2D.  2D. 

Censor  Librorum 


IMPRIMATUR 


lofjn  Cardinal  Jfatlep 

Archbishop  of  New  York 


New  York,  July  J,  J912 


COPYRIGHT,  1912 

BY  THE  RIGHT  REV.  JOSEPH  FRERI 


THE  SOCIETY  FOR  THE 
PROPAGATION  OF  THE  FAITH. 


The  work  of  the  propagation  of  the  faith  is  as  old  as  the 
Church  itself;  its  foundation  dates  back  to  the  day  when  Jesus 
Christ  said  to  His  apostles : “ Go  ye  into  the  whole  world  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.”  On  that  day,  a new  idea 
was  ushered  into  the  world,  and  a new  institution  of  which 
ancient  peoples  had  not  dreamed  was  called  into  existence;  the 
idea  that  all  races  are  called  to  one  faith,  and  the  institution  of 
the  Catholic  apostolate  to  accomplish  that  end;  both  destined 
to  exist  until  no  one  remains  outside  the  fold. 

The  work  of  supporting  the  missionary  propaganda  which 
began  with  the  apostles  and  is  being  continued  every  day  com- 
prises three  historic  periods: 

The  first  was  the  period,  properly  apostolic,  the  age  of  special 
divine  manifestation  in  behalf  of  the  propagation  of  the  faith. 
During  this  period  the  apostles  and  their  first  successors 
preached  throughout  the  world;  their  missionary  needs  were 
supplied  by  divine  assistance,  by  miracles  and  by  the  responsive 
devotion  inspired  in  their  early  converts. 

The  second  period  was  that  of  union  and  protectorship;  that 
is  to  say,  the  temporal  powers  of  the  world  united  to  establish 
the  kingdom  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  era  of  bloody  persecution 
had  closed,  the  Church  was  victorious  and  the  Caesars  bowed 
their  heads  in  submission  to  receive  the  yoke  of  the  cross;  em- 
perors, kings  and  republics  co-operated  with  the  church  in 
preaching  the  Christian  faith. 

The  popular  period  of  the  work  of  the  propagation  of  the  faith 
is  the  one  in  which  we  are  living.  It  began  with  the  XIX 
century.  The  impiety  of  the  XVIII  century  had  already  dealt 
a mortal  blow  to  a number  of  flourishing  missions,  when  the 
terrible  revolutions  which  marked  the  end  of  this  sad  epoch 
effected  a radical  change  in  the  religious  attitude  even  of  Euro- 
pean nations  that  had  remained  faithful  to  the  Catholic  religion. 

3 


4 The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

From  this  moment  their  action  was  distinct  from  that  of  the 
Church,  which  they  henceforth  considered  an  outside  and  some- 
times rival  power.  They  were  no  longer  to  be  depended  upon 
for  the  extension  of  the  kingdom  of  God  on  earth.  The  period 
of  union  and  protectorship  was  over.  Then  Providence  substi- 
tuted the  people  for  kings.  Catholic  missions  no  longer  directly 
supported  by  sovereigns  were  maintained  by  the  people.  Rich 
and  poor  were  called  to  the  honor  of  supporting  missionaries  of 
the  Gospel  and  contributing  to  the  development  of  the  Catholic 
religion  in  all  climes. 

Several  societies  were  founded  during  the  course  of  the  last 
century  to  give  form  and  organization  to  the  charity  of  the 
faithful  in  behalf  of  missions.  Beside  the  Society  for  the  Pro- 
pagation of  the  Faith,  the  principal  others  are:  The  Association 
of  the  Holy  Childhood;  the  Association  of  Oriental  Schools 
in  France;  the  Society  of  St.  Francis  Xavier  in  Aix-la-Chapelle; 
The  Association  of  St.  Peter  Claver  in  Salzburg;  The  Leopolds- 
verein  in  Austria;  the  Ludwigsmissionverein  in  Bavaria.  All 
these  societies,  not  to  mention  several  “ anti-slavery,”  “ Holy 
Land”  Associations,  and  societies  for  home  missions  have  either 
a limited  aim  or  assist  missionaries  of  a certain  nationality  alone. 
The  only  one  truly  universal,  is  the  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith  which  furnishes  the  principal  support  for  the  Cath- 
olic apostolate. 

In  this  sketch,  we  purpose  to  give,  in  the  first  part,  the  origin 
and  history  of  this  association,  its  organization  and  present 
form,  the  enumeration  of  spiritual  favors  with  which  it  has  been 
richly  endowed  by  the  Sovereign  Pontiffs  and  some  of  the  marks 
of  approbation  accorded  to  it  by  the  highest  ecclesiastical 
authorities. 

The  second  part  will  contain  a list  of  the  Societies  and  Relig- 
ious Orders  engaged  in  mission  work,  an  account  of  what  our 
Society  has  done  since  its  foundation  for  the  missions  of  the 
whole  world,  particularly  those  of  the  United  States  and  an 
enumeration  of  the  dioceses  and  missions  now  assisted  by  it. 


Origin  of  the  Society. 


5 


I. 


Origin  and  Development  of  the  Society. 

I.  Origin. 

More  than  half  a century  ago,  Frederick  Ozanam,  the  illustri- 
ous founder  of  the  Society  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  published 
an  account  of  the  origin  of  our  Society,  based  on  the  report 
of  the  first  reunion  of  the  founders,  several  of  whom  were  still 
living.  We  can  not  do  better  than  quote  the  words  of  the 
distinguished  writer:1 

“ The  beginnings  of  the  Society  were  feeble  and  obscure;  such 
is  the  destiny  of  many  Christian  institutions.  God  often  so  pre- 
pares everything  that  no  one  has  a claim  to  authorship  and  no 
human  name  receives  the  glory.  He  conceals  and  distributes 
their  sources  like  those  of  large  rivers  of  which  it  can  not  be 
told  from  what  stream  they  flow.  Cries  of  distress  from  the 
east  and  from  the  west  reached  the  ears  of  two  pious  women 
in  a provincial  city  and  inspired  them  with  the  idea  which,  hap- 
pily realized,  gives  help  to-  the  missions  of  two  hemispheres. 

“ In  the  year  1815,  Bishop  Dubourg,  of  New  Orleans,  stopped 
in  Lyons,  on  his  return  from  Rome,  where  he  had  been  con- 
secrated. Full  of  anxiety  on  account  of  the  extreme  poverty 
of  his  diocese  in  which  he  had  everything  to  organize,  he  earn- 
estly recommended  it  to  the  charity  of  the  citizens  of  Lyons. 
In  particular,  he  spoke  of  his  desires  to  a truly  Christian  woman, 
a widow,  Mrs.  Petit,  whom  he  had  formerly  known  in  the  United 
States;  and  to  her  he  made  known  his  idea  of  founding  a chari- 
table association  for  the  spiritual  needs  of  Louisiana,  fixing  the 
contribution  at  twenty-five  cents  a,  year.  The  charitable  widow 
at  once  entered  into  the  bishop’s  views  and  spoke  to  several 
other  persons  on  the  subject.  But  numerous  difficulties  pre- 
sented themselves.  She  had  to  wait  for  the  hour  appointed  by 
Fleaven  and  content  herself,  in  the  meantime,  with  collecting 
modest  alms  for  the  Christian  settlements  in  America,  which 
now  became  the  objects  of  her  maternal  care. 

“ About  the  same  time  came  the  cry  of  distress  from  the  east. 
In  the  year  1816  the  directors  of  the  Seminary  of  Foreign 
Missions,  of  Paris,  sought  to  revive  the  union  of  prayer  founded 


1 Frederick  Ozanam,  Miscellanea. 


6 The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

in  the  preceding  century  for  the  conversion  of  infidels,  but 
disbanded  by  the  French  Revolution.  To  the  prayers  provided 
for  this  purpose  indulgences  were  granted  by  the  Holy  See; 
and  an  account  of  the  needs  of  the  Eastern  missions  was 
published. 

“ These  attempts  began  to  awaken  favorable  dispositions  of 
mind.  Three  years  later  a young  woman,  Miss  Jaricot,  who 
was  living  in  Lyons  and  whose  life  of  active  charity  recalls  the 
Christian  virgins  of  primitive  times,  received  a touching  letter 
from  her  brother,  a student  at  the  seminary  of  St.  Sulpice,  in 
which  he  gave  a sad  account  of  the  extreme  poverty  of  the 
House  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  proposed  to  obtain  regular 
resources  for  it  through  the  establishment  of  a charitable  asso- 
ciation. The  pious  woman  responded  to  this  inspiration,  and 
during  the  year  1820  formed  a society  whose  members  contrib- 
uted a cent  a week  toward  the  support  of  the  Seminary  of  the 
Foreign  Missions.  The  Association  began  among  the  pious 
working  women  who  honor  the  rich  and  popular  trade  of  Lyons 
by  their  virtues  as  they  sustained  it  by  their  labor.  During  the 
last  six  months  of  that  year  the  foundress  bore  the  whole  burden 
of  her  weighty  undertaking  alone.  There  was  no  union  of 
prayer,  no  festival,  no  periodical  publication.  The  membership 
soon  rose  to  one  thousand  which,  though  a considerable  num- 
ber, was  not  likely  to  increase  owing  to  the  narrow  scope  of 
influence  of  the  first  associates.  The  offerings  collected  were 
sent  as  a pious  memento  from  the  church  of  Lyons  to  that  old 
Asia  from  which  she  had  received  the  Faith.  The  amount  was 
four  hundred  dollars.  It  is  a pleasure  to  count  the  first  drops 
of  the  dew  which  was  to  fall  later  in  greater  abundance  on  a 
field  of  unlimited  extent. 

“ Meanwhile,  the  correspondents  of  Bishop  Dubourg,  seeing 
what  had  been  done  by  Miss  Jaricot,  continued  to  cherish  the 
hope  of  establishing  a similar  society  for  the  diocese  of  New 
Orleans,  when,  at  the  commencement  of  the  year  1822,  they 
received  a visit  from  the  vicar  general  of  that  see.  His  presence 
inspired  the  benefactors  of  Louisiana  with  even  greater  fervor 
of  zeal.  One  condition,  however,  they  constantly  repeated: 
To  secure  the  best  foundation  an  association  for  the  missions 
should  be  Catholic,  that  is  to  say,  intended  to  assist  the  aposto- 
late  throughout  the  world,  and  not  confined  to  any  one  country. 
This  idea  finally  prevailed.  A meeting  was  called,  at  which 


Origin  of  the  Society. 


7 


twelve  persons  were  present;  and  after  being  opened  by  the  in- 
vocation of  the  Holy  Ghost,  a priest  gave  a short  account  of  the 
progress  and  sufferings  of  religion  in  North  America  and  pro- 
posed the  founding  of  a large  association  for  the  benefit  of 
Catholic  missions  in  the  two  hemispheres.  The  resolution  was 
unanimously  adopted;  and  before  the  meeting  was  adjourned, 
a president  was  elected  and  a committee  of  three  appointed  to 
prepare  a plan  of  organization.  The  new  enterprise  was  thus 
distinguished  from  all  former  undertakings  by  the  adoption  of 
the  principle  of  universality;  then  it  was  that  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Faith  was  founded. 

“ In  the  designs  of  Providence  who  seemed  henceforth  to  con- 
duct the  government  of  the  Society  without  the  aid  of  man,  the 
first  meeting  was  held,  without  premeditation,  on  Friday,  May 
the  third,  the  feast  of  the  Finding  of  the  Holy  Cross.  It  was 
only  when,  a short  time  afterwards,  the  day  of  foundation  was 
made  one  of  the  two  annual  feasts  of  the  society  that  it  was 
noticed  that  one  of  our  future  anniversaries  was  consecrated  to 
the  veneration  of  the  Cross  of  Redemption  whose  conquests  the 
humble  contributions  of  the  members  of  the  Society  are  de- 
signed to  extend.  The  approbation  of  ecclesiastical  authority, 
without  which  no  new  institution,  however  charitable  its  pur- 
pose, can  be  introduced  among  a Christian  people  was  solicited. 
This  was  obtained  without  loss  of  time  and  so  the  labors  of  the 
founders  were  consecrated.  The  receipts  were  one  hundred 
and  four  dollars  and  two  cents;  the  total  for  the  first  year 
amounted  to  about  four  thousand. 

“ Shortly  afterwards  one  of  the  founders  went  to  Paris,  and 
through  his  efforts  another  central  council  was  established; 
from  that  time  the  Society  has  included  the  whole  kingdom. 

“The  following  year,  1823,  a delegate  from  the  council  of 
Lyons  obtained  from  Pius  VII  of  blessed  memory,  the  indul- 
gences which  permanently  enrich  the  Society.  Words  of  en- 
couragement were  soon  received  from  all  the  bishops  of  France, 
followed  by  the  prelates  of  other  countries.  Belgium,  Switzer- 
land, the  different  states  of  Germany,  Italy,  the  United  States, 
Great  Britain,  Spain  and  Portugal,  joined  the  crusade  of  charity. 
Nearly  three  hundred  bishops  raised  their  voices  in  its  favor. 
Finally,  His  Holiness  Pope  Gregory  XVI,  by  an  encyclical  pub- 
lished in  the  year  1840,  in  which  he  recommended  the  Society 


8 The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  to  all  churches,  placed  it  in 
the  rank  of  universal  Christian  institutions. 

“ So  a few  meetings  conducted  without  opposition  and,  so  to 
speak,  without  debate  defined  the  principles  of  an  association 
the  results  of  which  affect  the  whole  world.  In  the  easy  work- 
ing of  this  organization  which  has  always  been  as  simple  in  its 
development  as  in  its  origin,  we  discern  the  action  of  eternal 
Wisdom  whose  means  are  ever  simple  amid  the  infinite  variety 
of  His  works.  The  same  Wisdom  has  been  pleased  to  manifest 
Itself  in  a more  striking  manner  still  through  the  repeated 
marks  of  approval  pronounced  by  its  mouth  piece,  the  Church. 
A mysterious  power  has  been  given  to  us,  and  the  Spirit  of  our 
Saviour  has  descended  on  our  unworthy  offerings,  by  the  bless- 
ings of  the  Pontiffs,  the  Holy  Sacrifices  offered  wherever  an 
altar  is  raised,  and  the  prayers  of  martyrs  who  never  die  without 
remembering  their  benefactors.  Such  is  the  providential  char- 
acter of  the  work;  the  part  which  God  has  taken  and  the  one 
which  Pie  has  left  to  us.  In  the  beginning  there  were  only  the 
pious  desires  of  two  humble  Christian  women;  but  these  two 
servants  of  God  became  the  interpreters  of  two  quarters  of  the 
globe.  What  can  surpass  in  power  so  great  a faith  and  so  great 
a hope?  And  yet,  these  would  have  been  of  little  avail  with- 
out the  charity  which  united  them  with  the  two  interests  of 
which  they  were  the  expression  and  which  prompted  them  to  a 
repeated  sacrifice  of  self  for  the  common  good.  The  contact  of 
these  two  sparks  enkindled  the  flame.  The  Society  was  thus 
brought  into  existence  and  thus  it  grew:  such  were  its  origin, 
its  power  and  the  condition  of  its  future  progress.  It  continues 
to  exist  only  by  forgetfulness  of  personal  predilection  and 
national  susceptibilities,  by  union  in  the  collection  and  catholi- 
city in  the  distribution  of  its  resources.” 

Such,  then,  is  the  true  narrative  of  the  origin  of  the  work 
known  as  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 
Its  prominent  features,  as  summarized  by  one  of  its  first  presi- 
dents, were  its  universality  as  regards  both  its  benefactors  and 
its  beneficiaries,  its  daily  prayer  for  missions,  its  periodical 
publication  of  missionary  news,  and  its  weekly  cent  collection. 
Its  patron  St.  Francis  Xavier,  its  two  solemn  feasts  and  its  or- 
ganization of  two  central  councils,  were  instituted  almost  from 
the  beginning.  And  the  description  of  its  origin  applies  to  the 
Society  to-day  or  to  any  point  in  its  history,  for  by  merely 


" Co  ye  into  the  whole  world  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every 
creature.'' — Mark,  XVI,  ij. 


WET  

s * 


The  Mission  of  the  Apostles. 


Native  Seminarians  in  Tongking. 


" Thou  wilt  be  a helper  to  the  orphan."- — Ps.  X,  14. 


Japanese  Orphans  and  Nurses. 


A Dictation  Class  at  Nellore  (India). 


Progress  of  the  Society. 


9 


altering  the  amount  of  its  labors,  as  new  requirements  arose, 
it  has  continued  in  the  same  harmonious  spirit  and  missionary 
zeal  which  brought  about  its  institution  at  the  hands  of  Mine. 
Petit,  Miss  Jaricot,  and  the  little  band  of  helpers  who  most  pro- 
videntially founded  this  world-wide  and  divinely  guided  society. 

II.  Progress  of  the  Society  from  1822. 

The  seed  planted  in  such  soil  could  not  help  growing.  Cath- 
olics of  every  country  were  invited  to  unite  in  the  forward 
movement  for  missions,  and  naturally  the  old  Catholic  countries 
of  Europe  were  the  first  to  respond.  At  first  there  was  hesita- 
tion among  them  here  and  there;  but  once  the  unpartisan 
spirit  of  the  Society  was  understood,  they  ended  by  acknowl- 
edging that  the  interests  of  the  Catholic  missions  in  new  lands 
and  countries,  required  the  co-operation  of  the  faithful  in  the 
old.  National  prejudices  were  set  aside,  and  the  fusion  of  many 
local  works  into  the  general  society  gradually  followed. 

Even  missionary  countries  gave  the  society  a good  number 
of  associates.  To  implant  a fruitful  missionary  spirit  in  its  bene- 
ficiaries, it  has  been  the  constant  practice  of  the  Society  to  ask 
help,  even  from  those  who  are  receiving  it.  Little  by  little,  as 
the  need  for  assistance  diminishes,  the  country  in  which  the 
faith  has  been  established  and  preserved  increases  its  support 
to  the  continued  extension  of  the  missions  of  the  Church.  The 
readiness  to  train  and  send  out  missionaries  so  that  others  may 
enjoy  their  spiritual  blessings,  is  perhaps  the  best  guarantee  of 
the  genuine  establishment  of  the  faith  in  any  locality.  How 
far  the  purpose  of  the  Society  in  this  direction  is  effective  may 
be  seen  by  the  report  published  each  year  in  the  June  number 
of  the  “ Annals  ” of  the  help  contributed  even  by  countries  in 
which  the  Church  is  as  yet  scarcely  settled.  As  early  as  1833 
some  of  the  faithful  in  the  United  States  sent  their  first  contri- 
bution which  amounted  to  the  modest  sum  of  six  dollars  to  the 
Society.  Ten  years  later  the  contributions  gathered  among 
American  Catholics,  reached  the  sum  of  about  one  thousand 
dollars.  The  figures  we  give  below  show  the  development  the 
work  of  the  Society  has  experienced  in  this  country  since  its 
first  settlement. 

In  18 22  the  Society  collected  from  all  sources  a little  more 
than  four  thousand  dollars.  The  sum  was  divided  in  three  parts, 
of  which  one  was  assigned  to  the  Eastern  missions,  the  other 


io  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

two  to  Louisiana  and  Kentucky.  The  following  year  the  dio- 
ceses of  Baltimore  and  Cincinnati  also  received  help;  and  as 
fast  as  new  dioceses  were  erected  they  were  added  to  the 
list,  and  withdrawn  only  when  fairly  self-supporting.  From 
1822  to  1912  the  Society  has  spent  exactly  $6,309,214.40  in  mis- 
sionary work  in  the  United  States.  The  tables  below  will  show 
how  it  has  been  distributed. 

In  1827  we  find  Africa  included  in  the  apportionment  of  mis- 
sionary funds,  and  Oceanica  represented  by  the  Sandwich 
Islands  mission.  Only  five  years  after  its  beginning  the  Society 
had  fulfilled  the  Catholic  character  its  founders  gave  it  from  the 
first ; and  to-day  it  aids  more  than  300  dioceses,  vicariates  and 
prefectures  in  every  part  of  the  world.  A most  valuable  record 
of  its  progress  may  be  found  at  the  headquarters  of  the  Society 
in  Lyons ; not  in  their  books,  but  in  the  thousands  of  mementos 
of  missionary  activity  and  endurance  gathered  from  every  quar- 
ter of  the  globe.  Instruments  of  war  and  peace,  instruments  of 
torture,  and  relics  of  the  martyrs  make  a collection  that  repre- 
sents heroic  achievements  worthy  to  rank  with  the  first  ages  of 
Christianity.1 

Among  the  thousands  of  missionaries  assisted  by  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Faith,  many  have  already  won  the  palm  of  mar- 
tyrdom, both  men  and  women.  Two  were  placed  on  our  altars 
by  the  zealous  Pontiff,  Leo  XIII,  in  1890;  the  Blessed  Perboyre, 
C.  M.,  martyred  in  China  in  1840,  and  Blessed  Chanel,  S.  M., 
who  suffered  at  the  hands  of  the  savages  of  the  island  of  Futuna, 
Oceanica,  in  1844.  Again  in  1900,  13  of  our  missionaries  were 
beatified  by  Leo  XIII  and  4 by  Pius  X in  1909. 

From  1822-1912  the  Society  has  distributed  $80,349,653.66. 
We  record  below  the  part  each  country  has  taken  in  furnishing 
this  sum,  and  in  what  year  the  Society  was  established  there; 
which  with  other  statistics  will  give  a compact  and  suggestive 
idea  of  its  development. 

We  also  give  below,  the  list  of  missions  with  approximate 
number  of  missionaries  the  Society  is  assisting  at  present.  It 
is  impossible  to  reckon  the  number  of  those  who  have  received 
help  from  the  Society  since  its  foundation. 

1 Any  of  our  readers  who  pass  through  the  city  of  Lyons  should  by  all 
means  visit  this  most  precious  and  sacred  collection,  No.  12,  rue  Sala. 

A collection  of  the  same  nature  may  be  visited  at  Paris,  in  the  Seminary 
for  Foreign  Missions,  No.  128,  rue  du  Bac. 


Aim  of  the  Society. 


ii 


Aim,  Organization  and  Administration  of  the 
Society — Spiritual  Favors  Granted  to 
Members. 

L The  Aim. 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  must  not  be  con- 
founded with  the  “ Roman  Congregation  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,”  1 whose  name  it  bears,  but  of  which  it  is  merely 
an  humble  auxiliary. 

The  Congregation  of  the  “ Propaganda,”  as  it  is  called,  is  a 
department  of  the  general  administration  of  the  Church,  estab- 
lished by  Gregory  XV,  in  1622,  to  direct,  supervise  and  assist 
the  missionaries  who  preach  the  faith  in  countries  where  pagan- 
ism, schism  and  heresy  prevail.  This  congregation  sends  out 
missionaries  either  directly  or  indidectly,  establishes  dioceses, 
vicariates  and  prefectures  apostolic1  and  directs  the  affairs  which 
they  may  have  with  the  head  of  the  Church. 

The  Congregation  of  the  Propaganda  has  been  richly  en- 
dowed during  the  several  centuries  of  its  existence,  but  has 
been  deprived  of  its  resources,  little  by  little,  especially  since 
the  Italian  government  has  seized  its  funds  without  regarding 
their  international  character,  origin  and  aim.  The  revenues  of 
the  Propaganda  which  amount  to  about  $135,000.00  hardly  suf- 
fice to  support  its  numerous  personnel,  its  college  for  the  edu- 
cation of  young  men  of  all  nationalities  and  its  university  where 
they  learn  ecclesiastical  science,  its  printing  establishment  where 
religious  works  in  nearly  all  languages  are  printed,  etc.  Cath- 
olic missionaries  who  cannot  gain  their  support  among  the 
people  whom  they  are  evangelizing  are  therefore  supported  by 

1 The  name  of  Roman  Congregation  is  given  to  each  of  the  various 
departments  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Administration  at  Rome  which  attends 
to  the  affairs  of  the  Church. 

1 Vicariates  and  prefectures  apostolic  are  countries  or  parts  of  countries 
in  which  an  episcopal  see  has  not  yet  been  established  and  which,  con- 
sequently, do  not  form  a diocese.  A vicariate  apostolic  is  governed  by 
a bishop;  a prefecture  apostolic,  by  a simple  priest,  who  may  be  author- 
ized to  administer  the  sacrament  of  Confirmation. 


12  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

charitable  associations  founded  for  this  purpose;  and  the  prin- 
cipal of  these  is  the  one  the  history  of  whose  origin  has  just 
been  given. 

Widely  different  from  the  numerous  Protestant  societies,  the 
Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  takes  no  part  in  select- 
ing missionaries  nor  in  appointing  them  their  field  of  work,  nor 
in  training  them  for  it,  and  it  does  not  concern  itself  with  the 
interior  administration  of  missions.  The  aim  of  our  Society 
therefore  is  to  support  missionaries  who  are  chosen,  trained  and 
sent  forth  on  their  mission  by  the  usual  authorities  of  the 
Church. 


II.  Organization. 

The  Members. — To  be  a member  of  the  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Faith,  it  is  necessary  to  make  an  offering  of  prayer 
and  alms,  as  follows: 

I.  To  recite  daily  for  the  intentions  of  the  Society  an  “ Our 
Father ” and  “ Hail  Mary,”  with  the  invocation  “St.  Francis 
Xavier,  pray  for  us.”  Once  for  all,  the  Our  Father  and  Hail 
Mary  recited  during  morning  or  evening  prayers  may  be  applied 
for  this  intention. 

II.  To  give  five  cents  a month  or  sixty  cents  a year  in  alms 
for  the  missions. 

Membership  is  always  individual  and  voluntary.  It  exists  as 
long  as  the  above  requirements  are  complied  with,  and  does 
not  depend  upon  association  in  bands  or  otherwise.  But  the 
usual  method  for  gathering  the  contributions  of  the  faithful  is 
to  form  the  members  into  Bands  of  ten,  of  whom  one  acts  as 
Promoter,  in  order  to  incorporate  it  with  the  parish  work  and 
to  obtain  as  far  as  possible  the  co-operation  of  the  clergy  and 
the  most  zealous  of  the  laity;  and  it  relies  principally  upon  the 
Promoters  to  make  this  great  charity  known  to  the  faithful. 

The  duties  of  the  Promoter  having  charge  of  a 

Promoters  and  gAND  OF  TEJf  are  to  collect  their  offerings,  and  to  cir- 

Bands  of  ten.  cujate  anlGng  them  the  Annals  of  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  which  is  sent  every  two  months.  The  offerings  are  turned 
over  by  the  Promoter  to  the  Parochial  Director,  if  the  Society  is 
established  in  the  parish.  Otherwise  they  are  sent  to  the  General  Di- 
rector in  New  York  (627  Lexington  Avenue). 

Promoters  are  provided  with  membership  certificates  to  be  given  to 
new  members,  and  cards,  on  which  to  record  collections.  On  the  faith- 
ful diligence  of  Promoters  rests  the  success  of  the  work. 


Organization  of  the  Society. 


13 


In  some  parishes,  the  Society  has  been  connected  with  some 
other  society  already  existing;  in  others,  it  has  an  organization 
of  its  own  having  its  monthly  or  bi-monthly  meetings,  when 
dues  are  paid,  Annals  are  distributed,  appropriate  instructions 
are  given  and  prayers  recited,  and  means  are  devised  to  further 
the  work  of  the  Society. 

In  those  places  where  a branch  of  the  Society  is  not  thus 
established  the  faithful  may  become  members  by  saying  the  re- 
quired prayers  and  forwarding  their  offerings  to  general  head- 
quarters.1 

Beside  the  benefactors  who  contribute  only  sixty  cents  a year, 
there  are  two  other  classes: 


The  Special  Members  are  those  who  contribute  the 
sum  of  six  dollars  ($6.00)  a year,  representing  the 
amount  collected  in  a Band  of  ten.  Special  Members 
receive  a copy  of  the  Annals  every  two  months. 


Special 

Members 


Life  Members  are  all  such  persons  as  contribute  at  one 
time  a sum  of  money  not  less  than  forty  dollars  ($40.00) 
to  the  Society.  Life  Members  also  receive  a copy  of  the 
Annals  every  two  months. 


Perpetual 

Members. 


Catholics  of  any  age  and  of  both  sexes  may  join  the 
All  Catholics  Society,  and  deceased  persons  may  also  be  enrolled. 

may  be  members.  g0th  living  and  dead  associates  share  in  the  merits 
and  prayers  of  missionaries,  and  in  Masses  said  by  them. 

Special  Donations  and  Mass  Intentions 

The  Society  gladly  receives  sums  of  money  intended  by  the 
donors  for  any  particular  mission  or  missionary  and  forwards 
the  same  at  once  to  its  destination  in  any  part  of  the  world. 
Nevertheless,  knowing  the  relative  needs  of  the  different  mis- 
sions and  being  thus  able  to  dispense  the  alms  in  proportion  to 
its  wants  it  prefers  to  control  their  distribution. 

Furthermore  it  must  be  kept  in  mind  that  such  offerings,  how- 
ever large,  do  not  secure  membership  in  the  Society  nor  obtain 
for  the  donors  the  spiritual  privileges  granted  to  members.  To 
obtain  such,  no  destination  must  be  assigned  by  the  benefactor, 
whose  offering  is  then  placed  in  the  general  fund,  out  of  which 
the  missions  receive  their  yearly  allocation.  Such  is  the  decision  of 
the  officials  of  the  Society  after  consulting  with  the  Sacred  Congre- 
gation of  Propaganda. 


14  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Legal  Form  of  Bequest. 

The  Society  is  incorporated  under  the  name  of  The  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  and  any  person  intending  to 
leave  a gift  may  use  the  following  form  of  bequest: 

I hereby  give,  devise  and  bequeath  unto  Thf.  Society  for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith  (Central  Office,  627  Lexington  Ave.,  New  York  City)  the  sum 
of dollars.  (If  real  estate,  describe  the  property  and  its  location.) 


ID.  The  Administration. 

Founded  by  the  laity,  the  administration  of  the  Society  for 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  almost  entirely  in  their  hands; 
but  a few  priests  have  an  active  part  in  its  councils. 

There  are  two  central  councils;  one  in  Lyons  where  the 
Society  was  founded  and  one  in  Paris,  the  seat  of  so  many 
charitable  and  apostolic  works.  These  councils  are  self-recruit- 
ing and  the  services  of  their  members  are  entirely  gratuitous. 
The  laity  who  compose  them  are  men  known  for  their  position 
in  business  and  society,  their  experience  in  administration,  their 
talents  and  their  piety. 

The  duties  of  the  councils  are  to  centralize  the  offerings  and 
distribute  them  among  the  different  missions  after  comparative 
examination  of  the  petitions  made  every  year.  Only  the  re- 
quests of  bishops,  vicars  apostolic  and  superiors  of  religious 
orders  in  charge  of  missions  are  considered  by  the  councils, 
and  such  petitions,  whether  acted  on  favorably  or  unfavorably, 
must  be  renewed  every  year.  The  division  of  funds  is  made  by 
common  consent  of  the  two  councils;  but,  for  the  transaction 
of  ordinary  business,  the  two  central  councils  have  divided  the 
missions  of  the  world  between  them.  It  is  needless  to  state 
that  the  desires  of  the  Ploly  Father  as  well  as  the  data  furnished 
by  the  Congregation  of  the  Propaganda  are  considered  in  the 
distribution  of  alms. 

The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  unlike  other 
societies  of  the  same  nature,  does  not  deal  in  investments  and 
has,  therefore,  no  permanent  fund;  Catholic  missions  are  always 
at  the  mercy  of  the  faithful  and  at  the  beginning  of  each 
year  the  total  sum  of  money  collected  during  the  past  year  is 
distributed. 

It  is  a law  of  the  Society  to  make  its  affairs  public.  In  con- 


Administration  of  the  Society.  15 

sequence,  it  has  never  aroused  the  suspicion  of  civil  authorities, 
of  missionaries  or  of  the  faithful.  The  Society  for  the  Propa- 
gation of  the  Faith  has  always  been,  to  the  full  extent  of  its 
power,  ready  to  assist  all  Catholic  missions  in  whatever  part 
of  the  world  they  may  be  situated  or  to  whatever  nationality  the 
missionaries  evangelizing  them  may  belong.1  However,  as 
soon  as  missions  are  in  the  least  degree  able  to  help  themselves, 
though  they  may  be  barely  able  to  exist  by  their  own  efforts,  it 
withdraws  its  aid,  because  demands  are  many  and  resources  are 
inadequate.  It  is  not  the  aim  of  the  Society  to  assist  what  are 
generally  known  as  Catholic  countries,  however  great  their 
needs  may  be;  for  that  reason,  France,  Italy,  Austria,  Spain, 
etc.,  have  never  received  any  help  from  it. 

The  Annals. — Members  of  the  Society  are  acquainted  with  the 
news  of  missions  through  a periodical  called  the  “ Annals  of 
the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.” 

In  the  beginning  of  the  Church,  the  Apostles  also  published 
“ Annals  ” under  the  form  of  Epistles  in  which  the  narrative  is 
interspersed  with  lessons  on  dogma,  morality  and  discipline. 

The  Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is  also  a proper 
name  for  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  which  relate  the  first  events 
in  the  history  of  the  Church,  its  struggles  and  its  triumphs; 
and  give  a picture  of  the  birth  of  Christian  communities  and 
the  persecution  directed  against  the  Cross  and  its  intrepid 
pioneers.  The  successors  of  the  Apostles  followed  their  ex- 
ample and  their  solicitude  never  diminished  in  recording  the 
works  and  sufferings  of  missionaries.  At  all  times,  under  one 
form  or  another,  the  Annals  of  the  Catholic  apostolate  have 
related  the  details  of  the  often  bloody  progress  of  the  Faith. 

About  the  close  of  the  XVIII  century,  a collection  of  “ Lettres 
cdifiantcs  et  curicuscs  ecrites  des  Missions  Etrangeres”  (Edifying  and 
entertaining  Letters  from  the  Foreign  Missions)  was  published. 
These  letters,  nearly  all  of  which  have  been  written  by  Jesuit 
missionaries,  met  with  great  success;  a new  edition  had  just 
appeared  when  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
was  founded.  The  example  given  was  followed,  and  the 
“ Annals  ” of  the  new  society  formed  a continuation  of  the 
Lettres  Edifiantes. 

1 The  list  given  below,  p.  29,  is  clear  evidence  that  the  nationality  of 
missionaries  is  not  considered  when  apportioning  funds. 


16  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

In  the  beginning,  they  were  merely  an  epistolary  intercourse 
between  missionaries  and  their  friends,  superiors,  relatives  or 
benefactors,  giving  an  account  of  their  situation,  their  labors, 
their  success  and  whatever  they  considered  worthy  of  any  atten- 
tion. These  letters  seemed  to  encourage  the  zeal  of  priests  for 
the  missions  and  sustained  or  awakened  the  charity  of  the  faith- 
ful. The  first  number  appeared  in  1822  in  the  form  of  a modest 
pamphlet  circulated  among  the  members  of  the  newly  founded 
association.  It  contained  a long  letter  about  the  missions  of 
Louisiana  and  another  about  those  of  Kentucky.  Since  then, 
the  “ Annals  ” have  appeared  regularly;  they  have  preserved  the 
same  character  and  very  nearly  the  same  modest  form  without 
any  pretence  to  literary  or  scientific  achievement.  Neverthe- 
less, the  humble  publication  renders  an  important  service  to  the 
work  of  missions,  not  to  speak  of  the  valuable  information  con- 
tained therein  concerning  the  religious  history  of  the  country 
whose  evangelizing  it  narrates.  Indirectly,  it  wins  apostles 
who,  upon  reading  it,  are  inflamed  with  zeal  for  the  kingdom 
of  God:  and  men  and  women  are  moved  to  go  forth  to  carry 
the  good  tidings  of  salvation  to  distant  lands. 

Undoubtedly,  no  one  becomes  an  apostle  without  a divine 
call;  but  that  call  is  manifested  by  exterior  signs  of  which  the 
most  usual  are  example,  in  the  first  place,  seconded  by  a knowl- 
edge of  the  needs  of  souls. 

Example  awakens  generous  emulation.  How  many  levites, 
how  many  priests  and  how  many  virgins  have  felt  their  souls 
moved  at  the  recital  of  the  work  of  missionaries,  and  abasing 
themselves  in  humility  and  prayer  have  arisen,  saying:  “ I,  too, 
wish  to  be  an  apostle!”  Where  are  the  needs  of  souls  por- 
trayed in  livelier  and  more  pleading  colors  than  in  the  letters 
which  fill  the  “Annals.”  As  an  eloquent  orator  has  said:  “An 
astonishing  and  glorious  fact  marks  the  close  of  the  century. 
Speculators  and  economists  laud  the  resources,  salubrity  and 
charms  of  a country  to  attract  colonists;  and  they  do  not  always 
succeed.  The  publications  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 
speak  of  nothing  but  privations,  peril  and  struggles;  the  more 
they  darken  the  picture,  the  more  they  kindle  the  zeal  for  mis- 
sions, especially  if  they  open  the  sombre  perspective  of  martyr- 
dom.” 

The  “ Annals  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  ” first  published 


“ Teach  ye  all  nations.” — Matt.  XXV 11 1,  ip. 


A Catechism  Class  in  China. 


A Missionary  and  His  Pupils  in  India. 


“ Mary  of  whom  was  born  Jesus  who  is  called  Christ.” — Matt.  I,  16. 


Grotto  of  Our  Lady  of  Lourdes  in  Japan. 


Missionaries  and  Christians  in  the  Gilrert  Islands 
(Oceanica). 


Spiritual  Favors  granted  to  Members. 


17 


in  French  soon  appeared  in  the  languages  of  the  countries 
where  the  Society  was  established.  The  first  English  edition 
dates  from  1840.  At  present,  300,000  copies  of  this  publication 
are  printed  bi-monthly  in  several  languages:  English,  French, 
Italian,  Spanish,  Portuguese,  Dutch,  Polish,  Flemish,  Basque, 
Maltese,  German  and  Briton.  An  American  edition  is  published 
by  the  National  Office  of  the  Society  in  New  York. 

IV.  Spiritual  Favors  Granted  to  the  Members  of  the  Society. 

In  pursuance  of  the  paternal  solicitude  of  the  Sovereign  Pon- 
tiffs, the  Society  has  been  enriched  with  many  spiritual  favors. 
Some  are  common  to  all  benefactors;  others  are  special  favors 
granted  to  ecclesiastics. 

A.  Spiritual  Favors  Granted  to  all  Benefactors. 

Those  who  comply  with  the  two  conditions  mentioned  above, 
daily  prayers  and  yearly  offering  of  sixty  cents,  may  gain  the 
following  indulgences : 

I. — Plenary  Indulgences. 

On  3D  May — The  Feast  of  the  Finding  of  the  Holy  Cross  (the  day  on 
which  the  Society  was  established);  On  3D  December — The  Feast  of 
St.  Francis  Xavier,  the  patron  of  the  Society;  On  25TH  March — The 
Feast  of  the  Annunciation;  On  15TH  August — The  Feast  of  the  Assump- 
tion, or  any  day  within  the  Octaves  of  these  Festivals.  On  6th  January 
— The  Feast  of  the  Epiphany;  On  29TH  September — The  Feast  of  St. 
Michael.  On  all  Feasts  of  the  Apostles.  Every  Month — On  any 
two  days  chosen  by  the  Associates.  Once  a Year — On  the  day  of  the 
general  commemoration  of  all  the  deceased  Members  of  the  Society,  and 
on  the  day  of  special  commemoration  of  the  deceased  Members  of  the 
Committee  or  the  Band  to  which  he  belongs.  On  the  Day  of  Admit- 
tance into  the  Society.  At  the  Hour  of  Death,  by  invoking,  at 
least  in  their  heart,  the  sacred  name  of  Jesus.  Members  gain  the  favor 
of  the  privileged  Altar  for  every  Mass  said  in  the  name  of  an  Associate 
for  a deceased  Member. 

In  order  to  gain  these  Plenary  Indulgences,  it  is  necessary  to  go  to 
confession  and  receive  communion,  to  visit  the  parish  church  and  there 
recite  some  prayers  for  the  intentions  of  the  Sovereign  Pontiff.  Children 
who  have  not  made  their  first  communion  can  gain  these  indulgences 
by  performing  some  pious  work  appointed  by  their  confessor. 

Persons  who  for  any  lawful  reason  are  unable  to  visit  the  church,  can 
substitute  for  this  visit  any  other  pious  work,  or  prayers  appointed  by 
their  confessor.  Members  of  religious  houses,  colleges  etc.,  can  gain 
the  same  indulgences  by  visiting  the  private  chapel  of  the  establishment, 
provided  the  other  conditions  are  fulfilled. 


18  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


II.  — Partial  Indulgences. 

Seven  Years  and  Seven  Quarantines  every  time  an  Associate  performs, 
in  aid  of  the  Society,  any  work  of  devotion  or  charity.  300  Days  every 
time  an  Associate  assists  at  the  Triduum  on  the  3rd  of  May  and  the  3rd  of 
December.  100  Days  every  time  an  Associate  recites  Our  Father,  Hail 
Mary  and  St.  Francis  Xavier,  pray  for  us. 

All  these  indulgences,  both  plenary  and  partial,  are  applicable  to  the  souls 
in  Purgatory. 

III.  — Prayers  and  Masses. 

All  the  Missionaries  assisted  by  the  Society  give  to  their  benefactors  a 
share  of  the  merits  of  their  apostolic  labors.  The  missionary  Priests  are  also 
asked  to  offer  occasionally  (at  least  once  a year)  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the 
Mass  for  them.  This  means  that  innumerable  prayers  are  said  and  over 
10,000  Masses  offered  every  year  for  the  intentions  of  the  living  and  the 
repose  of  the  souls  of  the  deceased  members  of  the  Society. 

B.  Special  Favors  Granted  to  Ecclesiastical  Benefactors.1 

I.  — To  every  Priest  who  shall  be  charged  in  any  parish  or  establishment  to 
collect  alms  for  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith,  or  who,  either 
from  his  own  resources,  or  otherwise,  shall  contribute  to  the  funds  of  the 
Society  a sum  equal  to  the  subscription  of  an  entire  band  of  ten : 

1st.  The  favor  of  the  privileged  Altar  three  times  a week. 

2d.  The  power  to  apply  the  following  Indulgences: — To  the  faithful  at 
the  hour  of  death,  a Plenary  Indulgence;  to  Beads  or  Rosaries,  Crosses 
Crucifixes,  Pictures,  Statues  and  Medals,  the  Apostolic  Indulgences;  to 
Beads,  the  Brigitine  Indulgences. 

3d.  The  faculty  of  attaching  to  Crucifixes  the  Indulgences  of  the  Way  of 
the  Cross. 

II.  — (a)  To  every  Priest  who  is  a Diocesan  Director,  or  a Member  of  a 
Committee,  appointed  to  watch  over  the  interests  of  the  Work: 

( b ) To  every  other  Priest  who  in  the  course  of  the  year  shall  pay  to  the 
account  of  the  Society  a sum  equal  at  least  to  the  amount  of  one  thousand 
subscriptions  ($600.00),  from  whatever  source  derived: 

1st.  The  same  favors  enjoyed  by  Priests  in  the  preceding  category. 

2d.  The  favor  of  the  privileged  Altar  five  times  a week  personally.  (Brief 
of  Pius  IX,  December  31,  1853.) 

3d.  The  power  to  bless  Crosses  with  the  Indulgences  of  the  Way  of  the 
Cross,  and,  moreover,  the  power  to  invest  with  the  Seraphic  Cord  and 
Scapular,  and  to  impart  all  the  Indulgences  and  privileges  granted  to  such 
investiture  by  the  Sovereign  Pontiffs. 

4th.  The  power  to  bless,  and  invest  the  faithful  with,  the  Scapular  of  Mt- 
Carmel,  the  Immaculate  Conception,  and  the  Passion  of  Our  Lord. 

In  case  the  collection  of  the  special  subscriptions  should  be  for  the 
moment  incomplete,  His  Holiness  prolongs  the  privileges  of  the  Priest  who 
shall  have  brought  in  the  entire  amount  the  preceding  year,  up  to  the 
current  account.  (Rescript  of  Leo  XIII,  June  16,  1878.) 

’These  favors  are  fully  explained  in  a pamphlet  issued  by  the  Society, 
which  will  be  mailed  free  to  Priests  on  demand. 


Conditional  Gifts. 


19 


HI. — Every  Priest  who  shall  contribute  once  for  all  out  of  his  private 
resources,  a sum  representing  the  amount  of  one  thousand  subscriptions 
($600.00)  shall  enjoy,  during  his  life,  the  favors  granted  to  the  Priests  who 
are  Members  of  a Committee. 

IV. — On  February  1,  1908,  Pope  Pius  X has  granted  to  all  Priests  who 
are  Diocesan  or  Parochial  Directors,  Perpetual  or  Special  members  of  the 
Society,  the  faculty  of  applying  ( unico  crucis  signo)  the  Croisier  Indul- 
gences to  Rosaries  (an  Indulgence  of  500  days  for  each  “Our  Father"  and 
"Hail  Mary"). 

Feast  Days  of  the  Society. 

In  order  to  bring  down  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  Work  and  on  the 
Missions,  the  Society  has  selected,  as  times  of  special  prayer  and  Thanks- 
giving: 

I.  The  third  of  May,  feast  of  the  Finding  of  the  Holy  Cross,  the  anni- 
versary of  the  foundation  of  the  Society  in  18 22. 

II.  The  third  of  December,  feast  of  St.  Francis  Xavier,  patron  of  the 
Society. 

Conditional  Gifts. 

Trust  Deed  Offered  by  the  Society  to  Prospective  Benefactors. 

It  is  a well-known  fact  that  in  many  instances  wills  are  not 
executed  according  to  the  intentions  of  their  makers.  This  is  due 
to  a number  of  causes ; opposition  of  natural  heirs,  adverse  decision 
of  courts,  lack  of  care  on  the  part  of  executors,  etc.  The  Propaga- 
tion of  the  Faith,  having  thus  lost  many  bequests,  has  established  a 
Conditional  Gift  Fund  to  which  several  thousands  of  dollars  have 
been  contributed  already  by  persons  who  had  intended  to  leave 
legacies  for  the  missions. 

The  plan  is  very  simple.  The  Society  receives  gifts,  large  or 
small,  at  the  same  time  entering  into  a written  agreement  with  the 
donor  not  to  spend  these  gifts,  but  to  invest  them  in  well-deter- 
mined and  absolutely  safe  securities,  and  to  pay  to  the  donors  so 
long  as  they  shall  live  a yearly  amount  equivalent  to  a fair  rate  of 
interest.  After  the  donor’s  death  the  money  is  placed  in  the  general 
fund  to  be  distributed  among  the  missions. 

If  the  money  left  in  care  of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  is 
intended  for  other  purposes  besides  its  own  work,  the  Society 
assumes  the  responsibility  of  seeing  that  the  intentions  of  the 
donors  are  implicitly  followed  and  the  various  bequests  distributed 
as  directed.  Mass  intentions  will  be  forwarded  to  needy  mission- 
arv  priests  immediately  after  the  death  of  the  benefactor  and 
acquitted  at  once,  thus  obviating  the  long  delays  which  necessarily 
accompany  the  execution  of  a will. 


20  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Pontifical  Acts,  and  T estimonials  of  Archbishops 
and  Bishops  in  Favor  of  the  Work* 

Pontifical  Acts. — This  short  sketch  of  the  Society  for  the  Pro- 
pagation of  the  Faith  would  be  incomplete  without  the  testi- 
monies of  approval  which  the  highest  and  most  venerable 
authorities  of  the  Catholic  Church  have  bestowed  upon  it  at  all 
times  since  its  origin. 

The  Society  was  canonically  established  by  Pope  Pius  VII, 
in  1823,  the  year  following  its  foundation ; all  the  popes  without 
exception  who  have  succeeded  him  in  the  see  of  Peter  have  con- 
firmed this  judgment  by  giving  the  most  sincere  evidence  of 
their  approbation  and  appreciation  to  its  great  work  of  helping 
missions. 

Pope  Leo  XIII  wrote  two  letters  to  recommend  the  work  to  the 
clergy  and  laity.  In  the  encyclical  “ Christi  Nomen  ” of  December 
24,  1894,  he  says : 

“We  are  pleased  to  exalt  by  our  commendations,  a Society  of 
which  the  humble  beginnings  have  been  succeeded  by  a rapid  and 
marvelous  development ; a Society  upon  which  our  illustrious 
predecessors,  Pius  VII,  Leo  XII,  Pius  VIII,  Gregory  XVI,  and 
Pius  IX  bestowed  praise  and  spiritual  favors : a Society  which 
has  given  such  efficacious  aid  to  the  missions  throughout  the  en- 
tire world  and  which  promises  them  still  more  abundant  as- 
sistance for  the  future.” 

In  the  first  year  of  His  Pontificate,  Our  Holy  Father  Pope  Pius 
X addressed  to  the  Catholic  world  a letter  from  which  we  quote 
the  following: 

“ The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  appears  to  have 
originated  and  arisen  among  men  by  an  inspiration  quite  Divine. 

“ If  the  messengers  of  the  Catholic  doctrine  are  able  to  reach 
out  to  the  most  distant  lands  and  the  most  barbarous  peoples,  it 
is  to  the  generosity  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the 
Faith  that  credit  must  be  given. 

“ Through  this  Society,  salvation  began  for  numberless  people, 
through  it  there  has  been  gathered  a harvest  of  souls.  . . . We 
have  always  been  greatly  interested  in  it,  and  have  helped  it  as  far 
as  our  humble  resources  would  permit. 


Pontifical  Acts  in  Favor  of  the  Society. 


21 


“ We  are  filled  with  hope  that  this  most  noble  association  will 
grow  in  strength  day  by  day,  ....  and  may  Christ  protect  it, 

. . . . since  it  is  its  aim  to  spread  His  most  Holy  Name.” 

National  Councils. — A large  number  of  provincial  and  national 
councils  have  likewise  published  decrees  in  favor  of  the  devel- 
opment of  the  Society.  We  quote  those  of  the  Plenary  Councils 
of  the  United  States. 

The  First  Plenary  Council  of  the  United  States  held  in  Bal- 
timore, in  1852,  wrote1 * 3  to  the  central  councils  of  the  Society: 
“ The  six  Archbishops  and  twenty-six  Bishops  assembled  by  the 
authority  of  the  venerable  successor  of  St.  Peter  have  decreed 
by  unanimous  consent  that  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith  shall  be  established  in  all  their  dioceses.  ...” 

The  Second  Plenary  Council  held  in  the  same  city,  in  18 66, 
decreed  1 that : “ We  must,  by  all  means,  further  the  organiza- 
tion of  societies  which  promote  piety  and  religion  and  the  ex- 
tension of  the  church.  Among  these  we  mention  first  of  all 
that  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  which  is  truly  Catholic 
and  from  which  the  church  in  America  has  received  so  many 
and  so  great  benefits.” 

At  the  same  time,  the  fathers  of  this  council  wrote  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  Society  as  follows : “ The  Bishops  assembled 
in  Plenary  Council  have  a lively  sense  of  the  debt  of  gratitude 
imposed  on  them  by  the  liberalities  of  Catholic  charity  concen- 
trated in  your  hands We  openly  acknowledge  that  your 

offerings  have  had  a considerable  share  in  the  development  of  our 
church.  . . . Henceforth,  the  church  of  the  United  States  will 
endeavor  to  occupy  in  your  reports  a place  more  worthy  of  the 
rank  assigned  to  it  by  the  extent  of  its  territory,  the  abundance 
of  its  resources  and  the  wonderful  increase  given  it  by  the 
Almighty.” 

Finally,  the  Third  Council  of  Baltimore’  held  in  1884  recom- 
mended the  Society  in  still  stronger  terms  to  the  charity  of  the 
faithful,  obeying  in  this  the  orders  given  to  the  bishops  by  His 
Holiness  Leo  XIII.  Following  the  example  of  their  predeces- 
sors, the  fathers  of  the  council  again  decreed  the  establishment 

1 Annals,  1852. 

1 Cone.  Plen.  Balt.  II,  Tit.  X,  Cap.  Ill,  8. 

3 Cone.  Plen.  Balt.  Ill,  Tit.  VIII,  Cap.  III.  p.  259. 


22  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 

of  the  Society  in  all  dioceses  in  which  it  did  not  already  exist. 
His  Eminence  Cardinal  Gibbons,  in  the  name  of  the  council, 
wrote  a long  letter  to  the  directors  of  the  Society.  We  extract 
the  following  passage:  “ Gratitude  imposes  on  us  the  pious  duty 
of  publicly  recognizing  the  signal  services  the  beneficent  Society 
for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith  has  rendered  to  the  young 
Church  of  the  United  States.  If  the  grain  of  mustard  seed 
planted  in  the  virgin  soil  of  America  has  struck  deep  roots  and 
grown  into  a gigantic  tree,  with  branches  stretching  from  the 
shores  of  the  Atlantic  ocean  to  the  coasts  of  the  Pacific,  it  is 
mainly  to  the  assistance  rendered  by  your  admirable  Society, 
Gentlemen,  that  we  are  indebted  for  this  blessing. 

“ Assembled  for  the  third  time  in  Plenary  Council,  the  Arch- 
bishops and  Bishops  of  the  Republic  of  the  United  States  feel 
a justifiable  joy  in  thinking  of  the  co-operation  which  you  have 
never  ceased  to  extend  to  the  apostles  of  the  Catholic  faith  in 
the  New  World,  from  the  year  1822  to  the  present  day;  and  the 
sums  which  during  that  time  you  have  allotted  to  the  different 
dioceses  and  missions  of  this  vast  country,  are  a striking  proof 
of  the  zeal  and  charity  with  which  you  never  cease  to  aid  us.” 
Other  Councils. — In  1895,  the  archbishops  and  bishops  of  Aus- 
tralia assembled  in  plenary  council,  after  having  issued  a decree 
similar  to  those  of  the  American  councils,  wrote  to  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Society  as  follows: 

“ Assembled  in  Council,  we  consider  it  our  duty  to  express  our 
admiration  for  the  great  work  which  you  direct  with  as  much 
-zeal  as  prudence.  This  work  is,  indeed,  so  important  for  ex- 
tending the  benefits  of  our  holy  religion  and  bearing  the  truth 
to  peoples  that  are  still  buried  in  the  shadow  of  death,  that  it 
can  not  remain  indifferent  to  those  who  have  the  salvation  of 
souls  and  the  glory  of  our  Divine  Master  at  heart;  may  God 
continue  to  bless  your  efforts,  Gentlemen,  and  make  your  noble 
enterprise  prosper  more  and  more. 

“ Permit  us  also  to  express  our  gratitude  for  the  help  which, 
in  the  past,  you  have  given  to  our  faithful  in  this  distant  country. 
We  are  not  ignorant  of  it  and  we  can  never  forget  it.” 

Collective  letters  from  Bishops  of  Various  Countries.— After 
the  Popes  and  Councils,  the  heads  of  missions  and  bishops  from 
different  countries  have  repeatedly  expressed  their  deep  sym- 
pathy and  appreciation  for  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of 
the  Faith. 


Pastoral  Letters  in  Favor  of  the  Society.  23 

The  Bishops  of  Canada,  the  East  Indies,  Japan,  Corea,  China, 
Southern  Africa,  etc.,  have  on  different  occasions,  given  their 
blessing  and  manifested  their  profound  gratitude. 

Pastoral  Letters. — What  shall  we  say  of  the  pastoral  letters  of 
bishops  in  favor  of  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 
that  “ marvel  of  the  XIX  century,”  in  the  words  of  a venerable 
American  prelate,  “ the  most  eminent  which  the  religion  of 
Jesus  Christ  has  inspired  in  recent  times,”  that  work  “ eminently 
Catholic,”  as  it  has  so  often  been  qualified  by  the  chief  pastors? 
Not  only  from  missions  but  from  all  quarters  of  the  Christian 
world,  from  France,  Ireland,  Belgium,  Italy,  Spain,  Germany, 
the  United  States,  Mexico,  the  Argentine  Republic  and  other 
South  American  republics  the  central  councils  are  continually 
rewarded  by  the  most  gratifying  letters.  Unable  to  quote  all 
the  testimonies  of  the  episcopate  which  are  numbered  by  hun- 
dreds and  form  the  Golden  Book  of  the  Society,  as  it  were, 
we  shall  conclude  with  the  eloquent  words  of  an  illustrious  prel- 
ate, Bishop  Freppel:  “ May  God’s  kingdom  come!  May  it  come 
for  those  infidel  peoples  still  living  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow 
of  death!  May  it  come  for  those  idolatrous  races  who  know 
not  Jesus  Christ,  who  are  deprived  of  the  light  and  the  con- 
solations of  the  Faith;  who  have  not,  like  us,  those  divine  rem- 
edies against  sin  that  the  Church  offers  to  her  children!  May 
it  come  also  for  those  countries  in  the  east  which  are  being 
moved  at  this  moment  by  the  life-giving  breath  of  God;  may  it 
come  for  those  perishing  branches  which  for  centuries  have  been 
detached  by  schism  from  the  trunk  of  Catholic  unity!  And, 
finally,  may  it  come  for  our  separated  brethren  in  both  the  old 
and  new  world  who  have  retained  but  a few  shreds  of  doctrine 
and  some  semblance  of  Christian  life!  Advcniat  regnuni  tuum! 
Then,  when  that  glorious  day  shall  have  dawned  upon  the  world, 
that  day  of  spiritual  birth  for  some  and  of  resurrection  for 
others,  if  we  would  wish  to  know  the  source  of  these  divine 
blessings,  we  shall  find,  I say,  as  the  principal  instrument  in 
God’s  right  hand,  the  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 
This  kingdom  of  God  on  earth  will  be  its  terrestrial  crown,  whilst 
awaiting  the  time  when  it  shall  please  God  to  grant  its  active 
and  zealous  members  their  eternal  reward.” 


II. 

What  the  Catholic  world  has  given  to  the 
Society  and  the  Missionary  world 
received,  1822-1912. 


Received  by  the  Society. 


Established. 

1822  France 

,$49,403,046.50 

1825 

Belgium 

4,490,866.31 

1827 

Germany  and  Austria 

, 7,592,431.66 

1827 

Italy 

5,868,928.01 

1827 

Switzerland . . . . 

989,482.68 

1827 

Balkan  States 

367,508.25 

1833 

Canada,  Mexico,  West  Indies. 

1,422,888.79 

1833 

Great  Britain  and  Ireland.  . . . 

2,642,141.73 

1837 

Holland  

1,337,688.31 

1837 

Portugal  

5°7,377-53 

1837 

Russia,  Poland 

73,41446 

1839 

Spain  

907,542.37 

1840 

United  States 

3,031,129.57 

1840 

Central  and  South  America. . . 

1,070,548.76 

1843 

Oceanica  

105,486.19 

1848 

Asia  

89,960.49 

1857 

Africa  

315,07931 

Countries  not  named 

134,114.74 

Total  

$80,349,653.66 

Distributed  to  the  Missions. 

America 

$10,874,003.85 

Europe 

11,180,727.84 

Asia  

32,719,183.31 

Africa  

11,876,908.43 

Oceanica  

Special  Gifts  sent  to  the  mis- 
sions as  directed  by  the 

7,469,562.87 

donors,  Transportation,  and 
Traveling  Expenses  of  Mis- 
sionaries, Publications,  and 

Management  of  the  Society. 

6,229,267.36 

Total  

24 

$80,349,653.66 

“I  was  hungry  and  you  gave  me  to  eat." — Matt.  XXV,  35. 


Famine  Sufferers  in  Zanzibar  (E.  Africa). 


The  Nuns  Minister  to  the  Old  and  the  Young  (China). 


Praise  ye  the  Lord  with  sound  of  trumpet  ....  with  strings  and 
organ.” — Ps.  CL,  4. 


The  Band  of  the  Mission  at  Tauris  (Persia). 


Young  Musicians  in  Somaliland  (E.  Africa) 


Received  and  Contributed  in  the  United  States. 


25 


I.  What  the  United  States  has  received  from  the 
Society,  and  what  it  has  contributed, 
1822-1912,  Arranged  by  Dioceses. 

In  the  following  list  we  give  the  amount  of  help  received  by 
the  dioceses  of  the  United  States  from  the  Society,  together 
with  the  amount  each  diocese  has  contributed  to  the  work. 
Several  dioceses  which  were  self-supporting  when  created,  appear 
to  have  received  nothing ; but  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  help 
assigned  to  the  diocese  of  which  they  were  originally  a part,  was 
shared  by  them.  It  may  be  safely  asserted  that  there  is  not  a single 
portion  of  the  Church  in  the  United  States  which  at  one  time  or 
another  has  not  been  helped  by  the  Society. 

In  this  table  of  sums  given  to  the  United  States  the  figures  in- 
clude only  the  money  given  to  diocesan  authorities,  and  to  Religious 
Orders,  for  use  in  specified  dioceses. 


Money  received  from  the 
Society. 

From  to 

1893  1913..  $70,322.34 . . . 

1847  1866..  43,884.00... 

1854  1912..  170,115.65... 

1857  1869..  41,600.00... 

Diocese. 

. . . Alaska 

. . . Alton 

Money  contributed 
for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith, 1833-1912 

8,742.35 

10,727.03 

1905 

1912. . 

9,041.00. . . 

1823 

1865. . 

56,757.80. . . 

. . .Baltimore 

90,502.64 

.... 

9,984.38 

. . . Bismarck 

75.00 

1870 

1902.. 

37,117.00.  . . 

. . . Boise 

1829 

1864.  . 

52,839.20. . . 

. . . Boston 

1856 

1867.. 

4,800.00.  . . 

1847 

1866.  . 

110,214.20.  . . 

41,719.95 

1853 

1884.  . 

40,200.00.  . . 

. . . Burlington  

1828 

1912.  . 

207,993.29.  . . 

5,970.42 

1897 

1912.  . 

7,915.00.  . . 

. . .Cheyenne 

718.47 

1844 

1866. . 

99,655.80... 

..  Chicago  

65,868.49 

1823 

1869. . 

118,569.00. . . 

.. . Cincinnati 

55,011.64 

1847 

1876. . 

62,644.00. . . 

. . . Cleveland 

1868 

1869. . 

3,200.00.  . . 

. . .Columbus  

5,581.07 

1887 

1901. . 

37,160.00.  . . 

...Concordia 

8,362.10 

1874 

1912. . 

45.956.18.  . . 

4,745.40 

1854 

1887. . 

37,000.00. . . 

5,348.18 

1911 

1912. . 

1,500  00. . . 

75.00 

1891 

1902. . 

4,050.50. . . 

...Dallas  

1,474.22 

. . Davenport 

21,216.24 

1868 

1888.. 

47,040.00... 

. . Denver 

7,789.31 

1828 

1887. . 

113,453.20... 

. . . Detroit 

24,769.63 

1838 

1866. . 

119,398.20.  . . 

44,882.61 

1890 

1892. . 

15,700.00. . . 

..  Duluth 

3,406.72 

1854 

1869. . 

30,600.00.  . . 

21,153.43 

8,748.94 

26  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith, 


Money  received  from  the 
Society. 

From  To 

1890  1894..  $13,140.00... 

1858  1809..  34,400.00... 

1846  1901..  249,370.90... 

Diocese. 

Money  contributed 
for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  1833-1912 

10,448.55 

1909 

1912. . 

2,254.00... 

1868 

1888. . 

25,656.00.  . . 

2,157.53 

1845 

1806.. 

51,028.00... 

...Hartford 

1883 

1900.. 

19,200.00.  . . 

1834 

1869.. 

237,978.40.  . . 

1880 

1881.. 

2,000.00... 

1868 

1887.. 

15,720.00... 

...La  Crosse 

1904 

1912. . 

10,933.96... 

949.88 

1856 

1883. . 

118,490.00.  . . 

. . .Leavenworth 

1889 

1890. . 

800.00  .. 

95.20 

1844 

1892. . 

105,120.40... 

1849 

1877.. 

99,800.00... 

13,314.11 

1822 

1867. . 

159,816.40  .. 

34,289.31 

37,144.26 

1854 

1885. . 

61,380.00.  . . 

. . . Marquette 

1844 

1866. . 

56,432.80.  . . 

. . .Milwaukee 

46,356.65 

1838 

1907. . 

109,913.60  .. 

.. . Mobile 

11,984.58 

1839 

1887. . 

100,767.80. .. 

1839 

1 906 . . 

196,085.31 . . 

. . . Natchez 

1854 

1866. . 

23,600.00. . . 

1823 

1872.  . 

124,160.60.  . . 

. . .New  Orleans 

54,827.95 

1827 

1866. . 

112,345.00.  . . 

. . . New  York 

1868 

1912.. 

58,953.94.  . 

. . No.  Carolina  and  Belmont  Abbey  431.99 

1876 

1912. . 

95,464.00. . . 

1859 

1883. . 

60,360.00  .. 

...Omaha 

1844 

1891. . 

171,294.00.  . . 

. . .Oregon  City 

1877 

1877. . 

1,000.00.  .. 

. . . Peoria 

5,071.48 

1829 

1859.. 

51,161.40.  . . 

. . . Philadelphia 

1843 

1868. . 

85,600.00  . . 

Pittsburg 

46,915.67 

1856 

1867. . 

18,900.00. . 

..  .Portland 

33,563.25 

. . . Providence 

1841 

1891. . 

126,863.20.  . . 

. . . Richmond 

6, 344.53 

1868 

1869. . 

4,000.00.  . . 

. . . Rochester 

27,824.53 

1,136.80 

1860 

1876. . 

36,200.00  .. 

..  .Sacramento 

1836 

1908.  . 

118,347.00.  . . 

...St..  Augustine 

1889 

1890. . 

13,140.00  . . 

...St.  Cloud 

10,010.16 

1868 

1872. . 

6,600.00.  . . 

. . .St.  Joseph 

3,423.56 

1837 

1872. . 

196, 155.60  . 

, . .St.  Lopis 

44,982.92 

1850 

1873. . 

95,785.00  .. 

. . . St.  Paul 

42,687.67 

1873 

1887. . 

16,400.00. . . 

. . .Salt  Lake 

59.20 

1874 

1897. . 

33,284.00.  . . 

. . . San  Antonio '. . 

1853 

1 884 . . 

45,600.00.  . . 

...San  Francisco 

40,696.40 

1851 

1912. . 

187,463.63  . 

, . . Santa  Fe 

17,753  44 

1850 

1913. . 

110,315.10  .. 

...Savannah 

10,024.59 

9,906.79 

1847 

1893.. 

120,842.00.  . . 

...Seattle  

7,247.07 

..  .Sioux  City 

6,607.70 

1889 

1894. . 

13,900.00  . .. 

..  .Sioux  Falls 

3,261.26 

• • • • 

• ••••• 

38,948.57 

.... 

1,175.22 

Received  and  Contributed  in  the  United  States.  27 


Money  received  from  the 
Society. 

From  to 

Diocese. 

Money  contributed 
for  the  Propagation 
of  the  Faith,  1833-1912 

$43,313.66 

8,617.54 

. . .Trenton  

13,969.08 

1869 

1912. . 

$109,900.40.  . . 

1850 

1879. . 

58,205.00.  . . 

. . .Wheeling 

8,267.17 

1887 

1895. . 

7,640.00. . . 

. . . Wichita 

4,964.01 

1868 

1892. . 

16,920.00. . . 

...Wilmington 

3,753.38 

9,691.66 

1906 

1912. . 

22,286.19.  . . 

. . .Porto  Rico  

23.60 

1905 

1912. . 

84,352.00  . . . 

...Philippine  Islands,... 

5.25 

1899 

1912.. 

125,877.40*.  . 

6,525.34 

1833 

1900 

1900. . 

1912.. 

516  592.04-f-^ 

Some  Religious  Orders 

180^793.67 . . . 

Missions 

and  other 

Totals $6,309,314.40  $3,030,439.41 

Total  given  to  the  United  States  (1822-1912),  ....  $6,309,214.40 
Total  received  from  the  United  States  (1822-1912),  3,030,429.41 


What  the  United  States  has  received  from  the  Society,  and  what 
it  has  contributed,  1822-1912.  Arranged  by  Years. 


Received.  Tear. 

$ 2,757.20 1822. 

5.200.00  1823, 

6.940.00  1824, 

10.340.00  1825 

8.740.00  1826 

20.700.00  1827 

22,000.00 1828, 

24.268.00  1829, 

23.394.00  1830, 

25.294.00  1831 

22.960.00  1832, 

19.604.00  1833 

20.564.00  1834, 

29.053.60  1835, 

44.133.60  1836 

37,916.20 1837. 

53.501.60  1838, 

68.025.00  1839, 

125.572.80  1840, 

122.261.00  1841, 

127,360.40 1842, 

126,259.60 1843. 

131.432.80  1844 

107.400.00  1845. 

116,328.20 1846. 


Contributed. 

$ 


6.00 


1,023.10 

824.00 

875.49 

816.99 

15.30 

1,655.30 

886.40 


* This  sum  represents  what  Hawaii  has  received,  only  since  it  became  an 
American  possession. 

(•These  sums  without  being  assigned  to  any  particular  diocese,  were  given 
to  Religious  Orders  for  use  in  the  United  States,  beside  what  they  may  have 
received  through  the  Bishop  in  whose  Diocese  they  were  working.  Since 
1900  the  allocations  made  to  missionaries,  members  of  Religious  Orders,  as 
well  as  the  offerings  they  may  contribute  to  the  work,  are  included  in  the 
Report  with  those  of  the  Dioceses  in  which  they  reside. 


28  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


Received. 


Year. 


Contributed. 


$87,980.00..... 1847 $ 810.67 

72.762.00  1848 807.00 

95.316.00  1849  709.12 

80.735.00  1850 765.00 

78.287.00  1851 600.00 

103.101.00  1852 16,026.41 

126.452.00  1853 7,842.13 

127.439.20  1854 11,337.32 

101,084.60 1855 7,235.91 

105,761.40 1856 10,328.65 

99,404.60 1857 13,713.12 

115.288.20  1858  30,612.18 

173,623.80 1859 37,730.81 

152.342.20  1860 12,303.68 

8,529.02 


130,802.00 

8,644.31 

119,800.00 

8,255.13 

117’600.00 

1864 

8,291.22 

124!450.00 

115,660.00 1866. 

97,260.00 1867. 


10,361.17 

9,341.73 


99^975.00 

41,000.00 

13,162.89 

8,053.69 

87, '200. 00 

1871 

13,265.43 

93,20000 

1872 

16,684.97 

75’600.00 

1873 

9,713.53 

74, '000. 00 

1874 

10,274.14 

73,040.00 

1875 

82,200.00 

1876 

13,173.60 

67^440.00 

1877 

60!600.00 

10,853.64 

57.080.00  1879  7,128.66 

52.200.00  1880 11,686.85 

56.600.00  1881 20,845.67 

51.600.00  1882 41,601.36 

59.360.00  1883 26,731.69 

66.000. 00 1884 15,609.33 

60.840.00  1885 17,456.84 

56.000. 00 1886 14,786.54 

51.400.00  1887 42,964.18 

42.440.00  1888 52,759.22 

40.080.00  1889 41,687.82 

42.740.00  1890 39,092.76 

33.920.00  1891 40,303.85 

23.000. 00 1892 35,907.58 

16.700.00  1893 44,753.58 

13.300.00  1894 25,065.68 

10.800.00  1895 84,707.89 

8,500.00 1896 32,855.54 

11,312.50 1897 34,196.31 

10.900.00  1898 55,511.79 

10,292.86 1899 69,402.49 

11.022.00  1900 71,229.35 

28.226.00  1901 77,000.00 

27.649.00  1902 85,408.44 

26.524.00  1903 92,503.48 

32.909.00  1904 156,942.93 

41,571.82 1905 157,057.98 

46,228.96 1906 185,287.71 


Missions  Assisted  by  the  Society  in  1912. 


29 


Received. 

Year. 

$51,645.42 

47  226.51 

55]  83  0.1 8 

70,493.84 

1910 

73,716.27 

1911 

516,592.04  Additional  to  some  Religious  Orders, 

Previous  to  1900. 

$6,309,214.40 


Contributed. 

$193,054.44 

193,122.36 

220,082.78 

268,314.08 

281,234.38 


$3,030,429.41 


II.  Missions  Assisted  by  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 

in  1912. 

Together  with  the  enumeration  of  the  Dioceses,  Vicariates  and 
Prefectures  Apostolic  receiving  an  yearly  allocation  from  the 
Society,  we  give  herebelow  the  number  of  Bishops  and  Priests  at 
work  in  each  mission,  also  the  number  of  Catholics  and  the  total 
population. 

For  the  compilation  of  these  statistics,  the  following  works  were 
consulted:  Missiones  Catholicae — Romae,  1907;  The  Official 
Catholic  Directory,  Kenedy,  1912;  Annuaire  Pontifical  Catholique, 
Battandier,  1912;  Calendrier-Annuaire  pour  la  Chine,  1912;  The 
Madras  Catholic  Directory,  1912;  The  Catholic  Encyclopedia; 
Atlas  des  Missions  Catholiques,  Streit,  1906;  also  a number  of  re- 
ports issued  by  various  missionary  Societies  and  the  publications 
of  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith.  Despite  the  great  care  with  which 
these  figures  were  prepared  there  may  be  some  errors,  and  in  a 
few  cases  they  are  approximative  only.  It  was  especially  difficult 
to  give  an  accurate  account  of  the  missions  in  the  Turkish  Empire 
where  ecclesiastical  jurisdiction  is  personal  instead  of  being  terri- 
torial. 

This  list  which  comprises  the  missions  now  assisted  by  our 
Society  includes  the  greater  part  of  the  mission  field  of  the 
Catholic  Church. 


AMERICA. 


Dioceses.  Vicariates,  Prefectures. 

United  States  and  Colonial  Possessions  : 

Alaska 

Alexandria 

Baker  City 

Charleston 

Cheyenne 

Corpus  Christi 

Crookston 

Great  Falls 

Lead 


No.  of 
Bishops 
and 

Priests. 

No.  of 
Catholics. 

Total 

Population. 

19 

14,500 

72,000 

37 

33,000 

300,000 

27 

6,500 

75,000 

19 

9,650 

1,400,000 

20 

12,000 

70,000 

34 

81,900 

115,000 

36 

20,700 

244,661 

40 

24,000 

146,153 

37 

18,000 

105,000 

30  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


AMERICA — Continued. 


Dioceses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures. 

United  States,  etc.  — Continued  : 

North  Carolina  and  Belmont  Abbey. . 

Oklahoma 

Santa  Fe 

Savannah 

Tucson 

Indian  Missions  in  the  U.  S 

Hawaii 

Porto  Rico 

Philippine  Islands  Missions 

Canada  : 

Athabasca 

Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence 

Keewatin 

Mackenzie 

Prince  Albert 

Saint  Albert 

Saint  Boniface 

Vancouver 

Victoria 

Yukon 

Indian  Missions 

West  Indies : 

Port  of  Spain 

Roseau 

Jamaica 

Curasao 

Missions  in  Cuba 

Central  America  : 

British  Honduras 

South  America  : 

British  Guiana 

Dutch  Guiana 

French  Guiana 

Mendez  y Gualaquiza 

Goadjira 

Missions  for  the  Indians  in- 

Argentina 

Brazil 

Chili 

Equador 

Peru 


No.  of 

Bishops 

No.  of 

Total 

and 

Catholics. 

Population. 

Priests. 

36 

6,5C0 

1,900,000 

104 

87,000 

300,000 

73 

140,500 

215,000 

69 

17,240 

2,000,000 

50 

48,500 

190,000 

145 

61,456 

322,715 

38 

37,000 

191,000 

133 

1,000,000 

1,118,012 

1236 

7,257,940 

7,635,426 

23 

5,000 

7,000 

20 

7,000 

11,000 

14 

5,000 

10,000 

19 

11,000 

62 

43,500 

125 

54,000 

168,000 

162 

123,000 

420,000 

50 

35,000 

200,000 

19 

10,000 

75,000 

10 

5,000 

48 

155,000 

320,000 

20 

40,000 

135,000 

17 

14,000 

766,000 

37 

46,000 

53,000 

18 

23,500 

39,000 

12 

17,000 

250,000 

28 

20,000 

70,000 

21 

36,000 

46,500 

17 

50,000 

80,000 

EUROPE. 

Balkan  States  : 

Antivari 

Athens 

Banialuku 

Bukharest 

Bulgarian  Missions 

Candia 

Corfu 

Durazzo 

Jassy 

Nicopolis 

Phillppopolis 


25 

7,241 

300,000 

21 

20,000 

2,433,000 

58 

69,000 

583,000 

50 

70,000 

5,500,000 

51 

9,000 

7 

800 

260  000 

10 

6,000 

85,000 

18 

12,500 

200,000 

95 

73,300 

2,500,000 

21 

12,000 

1,500,000 

27 

15,000 

1,500,000 

Missions  Assisted  by  the  Society  in  1912. 


3i 


EUROPE — Continued. 


No.  of 

Dioceses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures.  ^'and*8 

No.  of 
Catholics. 

Total 

Population. 

Priests. 

Balkan  States— Continued : 

Santorin 

600 

16,000 

Scopia  (Uskup) 

15,400 

1,000,000 

Scutari 

64 

35,000 

167,000 

8,200 

80,000 

Serajevo 

858,000 

Svra 

28,000 

Tyne 

4,200 

30,000 

Zante 

1,100 

160,000 

Denmark  : 

Copenhagen 

7,110 

2,300,000 

Finland  : 

Helsingfors 

400 

2,592,000 

German  Empire  : 

N.  German  Mission 

65,000 

2,000,000 

Saxony  

187,080 

5,049,800 

Norway : 

Christiania 

2,600 

4,225,000 

Sweden : 

Stockholm 

2,500 

5,200,000 

AFRICA. 

Northern  A f rica  : 

Algiers 

183,300 

1,500,000 

Constantine 

90,000 

270,000 

1,872,000 

959,000 

Oran 

Abyssinia 

10,000 

3,135,000 

Benin 

9,000 

2,000,000 

Cameroons 

5,000 

3,000,000 

Dahomey 

11,000 

1,500,000 

Delta  of  the  Nile 

15,000 

4,000,000 

Egypt  (Latin) 

61,117 

10,000,000 

Erythrtea 

15,000 

330,000 

Galla  and  Somali 

18,000 

8,017,600 

Ghardaia 

1,500 

300,000 

Gold  Coast 

10,000 

3,000,000 

Guinea  (French) 

2,000 

2,500,000 

Ivory  Coast 

2,700 

3,000,000 

Kabyles  Mission 

55 

1,200 

4,000,000 

Liberia 

50 

2,000,000 

Morocco 

10,000 

6,000,000 

Niger  (Lower) 

3,000 

3,000,000 

Niger  (Upper) 

2,600 

3,500,000 

Sahara 

1,600 

5,000,000 

Senegambia  — Senegal 

39 

19,000 

5,000,000 

Sierra  Leone 

3,000 

3,060,000 

Soudan  (Central  Africa) 

1,100 

5,000,000 

Soudan  (French) 

3,000 

10,000,000 

Togoland 

3,000 

2,500,000 

Tripoli 

5,600 

1,260,000 

•atorial  Africa : 

Benadir 

500 

500,000 

Congo— 

Lower  French 

5,200 

1,500,000 

Upper  French  

3,500 

5,000,000 

Free  State 

12,000 

10,000,000 

Upper 

5,600 

300,000 

Falls  

23 

6,000 

7,800 

Portuguese 

3,500,000 

32  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


AFRICA — Continued. 


Dioceses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures 

Equatorial  Africa — Continued: 

Cunene 

Gaboon 

Kassa'i  (Upper) 

Kenia 

Kilima-Ndjaro.  

Koango 

Nile  (Upper) 

Nyassa 

Shird 

Tanganyika 

Ubaughi-Chari 

Uell6 

Unyanyembe 

Victoria  Nyanza  (North) 

Victoria  Nyanza  (South) 

Zambesi 

Zanzibar- 

North 

Central,  Bagamoyo 

South,  Dar-es-Salam 

South  Africa  : 

Basutoland 

Cape- 

Central  

East 

West 


Cimbebasia  (Upper) 21 

Cimbebasia  (Lower) 20 

Namaqualand 7 

Natal 65 

Orange  State  (Kimberley) 26 

Orange  River 10 

Transvaal  (North) 20 

Transvaal  (South) 12 

African  Islands : 

Fernando  Po 42 

Madagascar- 

Central  89 

North 25 

South 24 

Mayotta 4 

Seychelles 21 

St.  Denis  (Reunion) 70 


No.  of 
Bishops 
and 

Priests. 

25 

20 

24 
60 

9 

13 
29 
49 
12 
43 

6 

11 

49 

103 

83 

25 

34 

21 

14 

21 

7 

20 

18 


ASIA. 


Arabia  : 

Aden 8 

Chinese  Empire : 

Amoy 14 

Che-Kiang  (East) 85 

Chc-Kiang  (West) 27 

Chi-li — 

North 98 

East 12 

S.  East 80 

8.  West 48 

Central 41 


No.  of 
Catholics. 


6,200 

15.000 

5.000 

7.000 
2,500 
2,800 

20.000 

2.000 
1,200 
3,800 
1,000 

900 

3,700 

93,000 

6,550 

2,500 


2,600 

15.000 

4.000 

10.000 

1,100 

13,300 

6.500 
9,200 

1.000 
2,000 

19.000 
5,700 

2.500 

10.000 

2,500 

6,300 

175.000 

17.000 
5,000 
5,000 

19.000 

214.000 


517 

2,143 

20,061 

11,152 

114,367 

10,  SS'.I 

79,446 

60,210 

73,661 


Total 

Population. 


10,000,000 


2,500,000 

300,000 


1,200,000 

1,000,000 

400,000 

3,000,000 


1.500.000 

3.000. 000 

2.000. 000 

2.500.000 

1.600.000 

600,000 

700.000 

1,000,000 

400,500 

150.000 

784.000 

300.000 
4,000,000 

185.000 

220.000 

1.500.000 

1.100.000 

40.000 
600,000 
220,000 

235.000 

1,600,000 

430.000 

800.000 

51.000 
21,149 

221,000 


10,000,000 

4.500.000 

15.000. 000 
5,000,000 

12.000. 000 

5.000. 000 

7.150.000 

8.000. 000 

6.500.000 


“ In  ei’cry  place  there  is  a sacrifice , and  there  is  offered  to  my  name 
a clean  offering — Mai.  I,  11. 


Mass  in  the  African  Jungle. 


The  First  Mass  of  a Newly  Ordained  Chinese  Priest. 


" He  walked  in  the  strength  of  that  food  ....  unto  the  mount  of 
God.”— Ill  Kings,  XIX,  8. 


Procession  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in  the  Canadian 
Northwest. 


The  V ice- roy  of  Kwang-tong,  Bishop  Merel,  Officials  and 

Missionaries. 


Missions  Assisted  by  the  Society  in  1912. 


33 


ASIA — Continued. 


Diocoses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures. 

Chinese  Empire— Continued : 

Fo-Kien 

Honan — 

North 

South 

West 

Hong-Kong 

Hunan  (North) 

llunan  (South) 

Hu-peh — 

North 

East 

South 

i iii  

Kansu  (North) 

Kansu  (South) 

Kiang-nan 

Kiang-sl — 

North 

East 

South  

Kien-tchang 

Kui-chau 

Kwang-si 

Kwang-tong 

Macao 

Manchuria  (North) 

Manchuria  (South) 

Mongolia — 

Central 

East 

West 

Shan  si  (North) 

Shan-si  (South) 

Shan-tODg — 

North 

East 

South  

Shen-si — 

Centra] 

South  

North 

Si-chuan — 

East 

West 

South  

Tai-Ku 

Thibet 

Yun-nan 

India : 

Allahabad 

Assam 

Bombay 

Calcutta 

Coimbatore 

Colombo 


No.  of 

Bishops 

No.  of 

Total 

and 

Priests. 

Catholics. 

Population. 

60 

48,821 

4,000,000 

12 

6,000 

7,000,000 

SO 

16,828 

14,000,000 

10 

3,813 

8,000,000 

28 

16,751 

3,800,000 

27 

4,000 

10,000,000 

23 

9,177 

10,000,000 

33 

20,912 

6,000,000 

40 

30,294 

16,000,000 

34 

13,983 

9,000,000 

4 

300 

2,000,000 

21 

3,207 

7,000,000 

17 

1,600 

3,000,000 

198 

203,468 

7,000,000 

27 

20,626 

10,000,000 

32 

21,959 

8,000,000 

29 

14 

12,838 

10,000,000 

67 

30,072 

9,000,000 

32 

4,449 

9,000,000 

93 

59,684 

28,000,000 

69 

30,300 

33 

19,128 

10,000,000 

49 

25,834 

55 

27,960 

3,000,000 

54 

22,387 

3,000,000 

49 

19,233 

4,000,000 

30 

22,632 

6,000,000 

35 

19,244 

6,000,000 

49 

28,615 

11,000,000 

36 

9,613 

10,000,000 

73 

65,066 

12,000,000 

38 

27,104 

7,000,000 

19 

24 

13,074 

5,000,000 

100 

40,587 

15,000,000 

88 

45,000 

25,000,000 

54 

27,285 

15,000,000 

20 

26,000 

24 

2,683 

2,250,000 

48 

12,234 

12,000,000 

67 

11,680 

38,174,000 

10 

1,800 

7,030,000 

69 

17,242 

12,380,000 

317 

115,000 

24,000,000 

45 

35,600 

2,023,000 

119 

225,000 

1,540,000 

34  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith 


ASIA— Continued. 


Dioceses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures. 

India  — Continued : 

Dacca 

Galle 

Hyderabad 

Jaffna  

Kafiristan  and  Kashmir 

Kandy 

Krishnagar 

Kumbakonam 

Lahore  

Madras 

Malacca 

Mangalore 

Mysore 

Nagpur 

Pondicherry 

Poona  

Quilon  

Rajputana 

Trichinopoly 

Trincomali 

Yerapoly 

Yizagapatam. 

Indo-China : 

Burma — 

East 

North 

South' 

Cambodia 

Cochin-China — 

East 

North 

West 

Laos 

Siam 

Tongking — 

Central 

East 

North 

South 

Upper 

West  

Maritime 

Japan : 

Hakodate 

Nagasaki 

Osaka  

Tokio 

Seoul 

Tai-Kou 

Formosa 

Shikoku 

Malaysia : 

Batavia 

Borneo  and  Labuan 

Dutch  Borneo 


No.  of 


Bishops 

and 

Priests. 

No.  of 
Catholics. 

Total 

Population. 

17 

12,000 

16,700,000 

15 

7,800 

900,000 

29 

14,500 

11,054,000 

40 

44,500 

405,000 

26 

28,000 

809,000 

9 

5,000 

16,000,000 

47 

87,700 

3,000,000 

43 

4,500 

16,000,000 

46 

48,300 

7,075,000 

40 

26,000 

1,700,000 

58 

91,000 

3,800,000 

64 

46,000 

5,500,000 

34 

12,800 

15,500,000 

101 

143,000 

7,500,000 

33 

14,200 

7,000,000 

75 

130,000 

1,300,000 

24 

3,300 

10,800,000 

80 

320,000 

5,130,000 

12 

8,500 

190,000 

67 

72,000 

1,200,000 

35 

14,300 

9,000,000 

11 

10,300 

1,930,000 

21 

7,300 

8,500,000 

51 

55,000 

4,000,000 

78 

36,000 

2,800,000 

91 

78,500 

3,500,000 

101 

58,600 

2,700,000 

130 

68,500 

2,000,000 

34 

10,600 

2,500,000 

56 

22,300 

4,500,000 

115 

219,250 

2,000,000 

58 

54,200 

2,000,000 

47 

31,000 

2,500,000 

116 

132,200 

2,000,000 

48 

20,700 

2,000,000 

35 

140,000 

2,200,000 

89 

90,000 

2,000,000 

48 

5,000 

9,000,000 

64 

47,100 

7,260,000 

29 

4,000 

18,500,000 

45 

9,858 

16,000,000 

51 

50,838 

7,000,000 

20 

26,000 

2,670,000 

11 

2,915 

4,500,000 

6 

381 

8,000,000 

61 

61,000 

32,000,000 

22 

8,000 

700,000 

16 

856 

1,129,000 

Missions  Assisted  by  the  Society  in  1912. 


35 


ASIA  — Continued. 


Dioceses,  Vicariates,  Prefectures. 
Persia  : 

Ispahan  

Turkish  Empire: 

Missions  among  the — 

Armenians 

Greeks 

Greek  Melchites 

Greek  Bulgarians 

Syrians 

Syrian  Chaldeans 

Syrian  Maronites 


No.  of 
Bishops 
and 

Priests. 

22 


367 

92 

321 

49 

84 

251 

1517 


OCEANICA. 


Australasia  : 

Auckland 

Christchurch 

Victoria-Palmers  ton 

Wellington 

Kimberley 

Polynesia : 

Caroline  and  Marianne  Islands 

Central  Oceanica 

Fiji  Islands 

Gilbert  and  Ellis  Islands 

Mangarewa  and  Tahiti 

Marshall  Islands 

Marquesas  Islands 

New  Guinea — 

British 

Dutch 

German 

Navigators  Islands 

New  Caledonia 

New  Hebrides 

New  Pomerania 

Solomon  Islands  (North) 

Solomon  Islands  (South) 


53 

49 

4 

83 

4 

13 

20 

33 

23 

31 

7 

9 

27 
15 
15 

25 
49 

26 

28 
10 

9 


No.  of  Total 

Catholics.  Population. 


350 

6,000,000 

106,000 

49,180 

138,735 

9,000 

22,200 

64,000 

314,600 

31,800 

176,000 

21,000 

140,000 

500 

28,000 

48,500 

250,000 

700 

5,000 

1,340 

37,500 

8,460 

38,000 

12,300 

150,000 

14,200 

40,000 

7,700 

39,200 

1,200 

15,000 

2,750 

3,300 

15,000 

2,000,000 

3,000 

650,000 

900 

300,000 

7,900 

38,000 

35,000 

96,000 

2,500 

50,000 

16,000 

215,000 

850 

180,000 

300 

140,000 

The  following  dioceses  though  not  strictly  speaking  missionary  dioceses 
are  receiving  help  from  our  Society  for  missions  dependent  on  them. 

Germany. — Cologne,  Treves,  Munster,  Paderborn,  Limburg,  Mainz, 
Fulda,  Breslau.  Hildersheim,  Posen  and  Gnesen,  Warmie,  Pomerania  and 
Brandenburg. 

Switzerland. — Lausanne  and  Geneva,  Chur,  Bale. 


36 


The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Ill,  Personnel  of  the  Missions. 


religious  orders  and  societies  engaged  in  mission  work 
and  countries  where  they  are  employed. 


Founded. 

Head- 

quarters. 

Mission  Fields. 

African  Missions,  Lyons. 

1856 

Lyons. 

Benin,  Dahomey,  Gold 

Coast, 

African  Missions, 

Verona  

1867 

Verona. 

Ivory  Coast,  U.  Niger,  Egypt, 
Liberia,  Georgia,  U.  S. 

Central  Africa. 

Algerian  Missionaries... 

1868 

Algiers. 

Algeria,  Upper  Congo, 

Jerusa- 

• lem,  Nyassa,  Uuyanyembe,  Sa- 
hara, Soudan,  Tanganyika,  Tu- 
nis, Victoria  Nyanza. 


Augustinians 

1256 

Rome.  Cooktown  (Australia),  Northern 

Hu-nan,  Philippines,  United 
States,  Amazonas,  Palawan. 

Augustinians  of  the  As- 

sumption 

1851 

Rome.  Turkey,  United  States. 

Basilians 

1822 

Anuonay  Canada,  United  States,  Algeria, 

(Fr)  England. 

Benedictines 

529 

Monte  Cas-  United  States,  Australia,  Eng- 
sino.  land,  Kandy,  Katanga,  Trans- 

vaal, So.  Zanzibar,  New  Nur- 
sia,  Drisdale  River,  Bukharest, 
Armenia. 

Canon  Regulars  of  the 

Im.  Conception 

1887 

Rome.  Canada. 

Carmelites  (Discalced)  . . 

1528 

Rome.  Bagdad,  Quilon,  Verapoly,  Syria, 

United  States. 

Carthusians 

1086 

Lucca.  England. 

Children  of  the  Immacu- 

late  Heart  of  Mary. . . . 

1849 

Spain.  Fernando  Po,  Choco. 

Cistercians  (Trappists). . 

1098 

Rome.  Africa,  Australia,  Canada,  China, 

England,  Palestine,  United 
States,  Japan. 

Company  of  Mary 

1705 

St.  Laurent  England,  Canada,  United  States, 
surSevre,  San  Martino,  Shir6,  Iceland. 
France. 

Dominicans 

1215 

Rome.  Amoy,  Canada,  Curacao,  Fokien 

Mesopotamia,  Philippines,Ceu- 
tral,  Eastern  and  Northern 
Tongking,  Shikoku,  United 
States. 

Eudist  Fathers 

1643 

Rome.  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence. 

Fathers  of  Mercy. 

1802 

Rome.  United  States. 

For’gn  Missions,  Belgian 

1865 

Sclieut-lcz  Congo  Free  State,  Ili,  Kan-su, 
Bruxelles.  Mongolia,  Philippines. 

For’gn  Missions,  English 

1866 

Mill  Hill.  Borneo,  Kaflristan,  Madras,  Up- 
per Nile,  Philippines,  Maoris. 

For’gn  Missions,  French 

1663 

Paris.  Burma  (Southern  and  Northern), 

Cambodia,  Cochin  China, 
Coimbatore,  Corea,  Japan, 
Kwang-si,  Kwang-tong,  Kui- 
chau,  Malaysia,  Mysore,  Pondi- 
cherry, Siam,  Si-chuan,  Thibet, 
Tongking,  Yun  nan,  Manchu- 
ria, Kien-tchang. 

Personnel  of  the  Missions. 


37 


Founded. 

Head- 

quarters. 

Mission  Fields. 

For’gn  Missions,  German- 
Hollaud  (Society  of  the 

Divine  Word) 

1875 

Steyl,  Hoi. 

Southern  Shan-tung,  Togoland, 
Williamsland,  United  States, 
Philippines,  Japan. 

For’gn  Missions,  Milan. . 

1850 

Milan. 

Eastern  Burma,  Ho-nan,  Hong- 
kong, Hyderabad,  Krishnagar. 

For’gn  Missions,  Parma. 
For’gu  Missions,  Rome.. 

Parma. 

Western  Ho-nan. 

1874 

Rome. 

Southern  Shcn-si. 

For'gu  Missions,  Turin. . 

1000 

Turin. 

Kenya. 

Frauciscaus,  Minor 

1309 

Rome. 

America,  Egypt,  Southern  Hu- 
nan, llu-peh,  Philippines, 
Shan-si,  Northern  and  Eastern 
Shan-tung,  Northern  8hen-si, 
Syria,  Tripoli,  Ucayali,  Egypt. 

Franciscans,  Conventuals 

1507 

Rome. 

Adriauople,  Constantinople,  Mol- 
davia, United  States. 

Franciscans,  Capuchins.  . 

1528 

Rome. 

Aden,  Agra,  Allahabad,  Canada, 
Candia,  Erythrsea,  Galla,  La- 
hore, Mardin,  Seychelles,  So- 
phia, Simla,  United  States. 

Holy  Cross 

1821 

Rome. 

Dacca,  United  States,  Canada. 

Holy  Ghost  (1703)  and 
Sacred  Heart  of  Mary 

(1841) 

1848 

Paris. 

French  Colonies;  Cimbebasia, 
French  Congo,  Lower  Congo, 
French  Guiana,  French  Guinea, 
Kunene,  Lower  Niger,  Sene- 
gambia,  Sierra  Leone,  Zanzi- 
bar, Kilima-Ndjaro,  Teffe,  Ba- 
gamoyo,  Ubanghi,  Gaboon,  N. 
Madagascar,  and  small  Mada- 
gascan Islands,  United  States, 

Jesuits 

1540 

Rome. 

Alaska,  Armenia,  Australia. 
Western  Bengal,  Bombay, 
British  Guiana,  Canada,  Ko- 
tayam,  Jamaica,  Madagascar, 
Mangalore,  Eastern  Chi-li, 
United  States,  Poona,  Trichi- 
nopoli,  Zambesi,  Kiang-nan, 
Kwango,  Galle,  Trincomali, 
S.  E.  Chi-li,  B.  Honduras, 
Batavia. 

Josephite  Society 

1892 

Baltimore. 

United  States  (Missions  for  the 
colored  people). 

La  Salette  Fathers  .... 

1S52 

Susa. 

Canada,  Madagascar,  United 
States. 

Lazarists 

1632 

Paris. 

Abyssinia,  Adrianople,  Bulgaria, 
Constantinople,  Kiang-si,  Mad- 
agascar, Persia,  Chi-li,  Syria, 
Che-kiang,  U.  S.,  etc. 

Marists 

1836 

Rome. 

Fiji  Islands,  New  Zealand  (Wei- 

lington  and  Christchurch), 
New  Caledonia,  New  Hebrides, 
Navigators  Islands,  Central 
Oceanica,  Solomon  Islands, 
America. 


38  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Founded. 

Head- 

quarters. 

Mission  Fields. 

Oblates  of  Mary  Immac- 
ulate   

1826 

Rome. 

Athabasca-Mackenzie,  British 

Oblates  of  the  Sacred 
Heart  . 

1813 

England. 

Columbia,  United  States,  Co- 
lombo, Jaflna,  Natal,  Orange 
Free  State,  St  Albert,  St. 
Boniface,  Saskatchewan, 
Transvaal,  Cimbebasia,  Basu- 
toland, Kimberley,  Keewatin. 

United  States. 

Oblates  of  St.  Francis  de 
Sales 

1850 

Rome. 

Greece,  Orange  River. 

Oratorians 

1577 

England. 

Passionists 

1737 

Rome. 

England,  Bukharest,  Nicopolis, 

Paulist  Fathers 

1858 

New  York. 

United  States. 
United  States. 

Pious  Society  of  Missions 
(Pallotins) 

1834 

Rome. 

Cameroons,  Kimberley  (Aus- 

Precious  Blood 

1814 

Rome. 

tralia),  Brazil,  South  America, 
United  States. 

United  States. 

Premonstratensians  (Nor- 
bertins) 

1119 

Rome. 

Canada,  Uelle,  Brazil,  United 
States,  Madagascar. 

Dutch  Guiana,  United  States. 

Redemptorists 

1732 

Rome. 

Resurrectionists 

1836 

Rome. 

Adrianople, Canada,  United  States 

Sacred  Heart  Missionary 
Fathers 

1854 

Rome. 

Micronesia,  New  Guinea,  New 

Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus  . . 

1877 

Bruxelles. 

Pomerania,  United  States. 
Belgian  Congo,  Stanley  Falls, 

Sacred  Hearts  of  Picpus. 

1817 

Braine, 

Brazil,  Canada. 

Marquesas  Islands,  Sandwich 

St.  Charles  Missionary 
Fathers 

1888 

Belgium. 

Piacenza. 

Islands,  Tahiti. 

United  States,  Canada,  Brazil. 

St.  Francis  de  Sales  of 
Annecy 

1833 

Annecy. 

Nagpore,  Vizagapatam. 

Salesiaus 

1855 

Turin. 

North  and  South  Patagonia, 

Servites 

1233 

Rome. 

Mendez  y Gualaquiza,  United 
States,  Brazil. 

England,  United  States. 

Society  of  the  Divine 
Saviour 

1881 

Rome. 

Assam,  United  States. 

Sulpicians 

1642 

Paris. 

Canada,  United  States. 

Trinitarians 

1198 

Rome. 

Benadir. 

Auxiliaries  to 

the  Missionary  Priests. 

The  chief  auxiliaries  in  mission  works  are  communities  of 
Brothers  and  Sisters.  Not  to  mention  the  lay-brothers  accom- 
panying Religious  Orders  of  Priests,  nor  the  large  numbers  of 
catechists  and  other  missionary  helpers,  in  almost  every  quarter 
of  the  globe  where  the  priest  has  planted  the  faith  Brothers  and 
Sisters  have  followed  to  help  sustain  it. 

Including  several  native  orders,  there  are  more  than  thirty 
orders  of  Brothers,  and  more  than  one  hundred  and  seventy-five 
orders  of  Sisters  engaged  in  mission  work. 


Personnel  of  the  Missions. 


39 


It  is  impossible  to  furnish  satisfactory  figures,  as  to  the  whole 
number  of  missionaries,  because  of  the  different  views  people 
may  take  as  to  what  is  understood  by  missionary  countries  and 
by  missionaries. 

In  those  countries  mentioned  above,  heresy,  schism  or  infi- 
delity prevails.  Such  countries,  taken  as  a whole,  the  Holy  See 
rightly  regards  as  special  mission  fields,  and  usually  applies  a 
particular  form  of  ecclesiastical  government  to  them.  There  may 
be  some,  however,  as  Russia,  parts  of  Germany  and  Switzerland, 
where  for  political  or  other  reasons  that  form  of  administration 
is  not  applied,  which  nevertheless  offer  a large  missionary  field, 
while  in  other  countries,  as  Australia,  some  States  of  Central 
Europe,  etc.,  the  missionary  form  of  government  in  part  has  been 
continued,  though  we  would  naturally  conclude  that  in  most  places 
the  actual  missionary  stage  was  passed.  In  the  popular  sense, 
those  are  missionaries  who  have  gone  to  distant  regions  and 
especially  to  heathen  countries  for  the  purpose  of  spreading  the 
faith  among  unbelievers. 

Taking  these  distinctions  into  consideration  we  may  safely 
assert  that  there  are  at  least  12,000  priests  and  religious,  4000 
teaching  brothers,  and  40,000  sisters  laboring  as  missionaries, 
not  to  speak  of  the  priests,  brothers  and  sisters  native  to  the 
regions  where  they  work,  catechists  and  others  who  make  up 
the  personnel  of  a mission,  and  the  laborers  among  the  Oriental 
Rites.  Probably  the  estimate  is  much  too  small,  but  be  it  so. 
At  the  lowest  computation  there  are,  at  the  opening  of  the  XX 
century  about  sixty  thousand  missionaries ; sixty  thousand  men 
and  women  who  have  left  their  country,  their  brothers  and  sisters, 
houses  and  lands,  and  all  the  blessings  they  hold  most  dear  in 
this  world,  to  bring  the  still  greater  blessing  of  the  faith  to  those 
who  are  as  yet  deprived  of  it.  Assuredly  it  is  an  astonishing  num- 
ber, which  may  well  rejoice  our  hearts ; and  all  the  more  because  a 
century  ago  those  missionaries  scarcely  numbered  one  thousand, 
all  told. 

Sixty  thousand  missionaries  is  a noble  army ; but  what  victories 
are  yet  to  be  won ! Almost  fifteen  hundred  millions  of  human 
beings  inhabit  the  earth ; and  only  about  five  hundred  millions  are 
baptized  Christians.  The  immense  majority  of  more  than  a thou- 
sand millions  have  not  yet  acknowledged  Christ,  and  are  divided 
among  the  many  sects  of  Buddhism,  Brahminism,  Mahometanism, 
Fetichism  and  infidelity. 


40  The  Society  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Conclusion. 

Eighteen  centuries  after  the  redemption  of  the  world  there  are 
but  five  hundred  millions  of  Christians ; and  of  these  only  a little 
more  than  one-half  are  Catholics ; the  others  being  divided  among 
schismatics,  and  the  multitudinous  sects  of  Protestantism.  Chris- 
tianity has  but  commenced ; and  those  who  consider  that  it  is 
drawing  to  an  end  have  neglected  to  reckon  with  the  perpetual  and 
divinely  sustained  vitality  of  the  Catholic  Church,  and  its  eternal 
mission  to  the  whole  human  race. 

“ And  other  sheep  I have  which  are  not  of  this  fold;  them  also  I 
must  bring  and  they  shall  hear  my  voice  and  there  shall  be  one  fold 
and  one  Shepherd ” 

Well  may  we  admire  the  devotion  and  self-sacrifice  of  Catholic 
missionaries.  Well  may  we  exclaim  with  the  prophet:  “How 

beautiful  are  the  feet  of  him  that  bringeth  good  tidings  and  that 
preachcth  peace,  of  him  that  showcth  forth  good,  that  preacheth 
salvation.” 

Let  not  our  charity  limit  itself  to  a sterile  admiration ; let  us 
remember  that  our  missionary  activity  is  the  one  certain  evidence 
that  we  regard  our  faith  as  a true  blessing ; as  its  success  is  in 
return  an  evidence  to  us  that  our  faith  is  as  vital  today  as  when  the 
Holy  Ghost  was  first  given  to  the  Church.  From  among  our  newest 
brethren  in  Christ,  God  has  chosen  many  of  his  martyrs  to  witness 
to  the  grace  of  his  everlasting  Redemption.  Let  us  hear  and  obey 
the  missionary  call.  If  it  is  not  our  vocation  to  follow  in  the  very 
steps  of  the  laborers,  let  us  at  least  try  to  obtain  a share  in  the  merits 
of  their  work  by  giving  them  the  help  of  prayers  and  alms  needed  to 
fulfill  the  divine  command  by  which  they  are  sent:  “ Go  ye  into 
the  whole  world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.” 


Prayer  for  Catholic  Missions. 

O God  who  wouldst  have  all  men  to  be  saved  and  come  to  a knowledge  of 
the  truth,  send  forth,  we  beseech  Thee,  laborers  into  Thy  harvest ; and  grant 
them  with  all  boldness  to  preach  the  Word?  that  Thy  Gospel  may  everywhere 
be  heard  and  glorified,  and  that  all  nations  may  know  Thee  the  one  true  God, 
and  Him  whom  Thou  hast  sent,  Jesus  Christ,  Thy  Son  our  Lord.  Amen. 

From  the  Missal — Mass  for  the  Propagation  of  the  Faith. 


Catfjolu  missions 


A MAGAZINE  DEVOTED  TO  HOME  AND  FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

ISSUED  EVERY  MONTH 


SUBSCRIPTION  ONE  DOLLAR  A YEAR 


There  are  not  many  Catholics  in  the  United  States  who  have  more  than  a 
vague  idea  of  the  great  missionary  work  of  the  Church,  or  that  there  are 
Catholic  Priests,  Brothers  and  Nuns,  preaching  the  Gospel  to  the  heathen 
in  all  parts  of  the  world,  in  Japan,  China,  India,  Africa,  the  frozen  coun- 
tries of  the  North  and  the  Islands  of  the  South  Seas.  It  is  the  aim  of 
Catholic  Missions  to  make  Americans  better  acquainted  with  the  work  of 
the  missionaries  in  foreign  lands,  and  also  to  publish  information  and  articles 
on  home  missions.  The  magazine  is  beautifully  illustrated  from  original 
photographs  taken  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 


If  you  are  in  sympathy  with  the  cause  of  Foreign  Missions ; 

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